The Prisoner of Azkaban
by kckfchicks
Summary: Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban in search of the man who killed his two best friends, but tracking him down might be harder than he thought. This is the third book through Sirius's eyes, plus more that you never heard about. FINISHED! R&R!
1. Finding Wormtail

**Disclaimer:**_ Okay, obviously, I don't own Harry Potter or his affiliates no matter how much I WISH I did. However, I do own the plot, of course. So if I catch wind of anyone using my stuff, trust me, HEADS WILL ROLL… you have been warned. ©, do you hear? ©!!_

_Oh, and PS: I wrote this to fit with my two other stories that were written BEFORE THE ORDER, so some of the stuff you read in here won't quite fit with the fifth book, or some of the things in the fourth. It's mostly my guesses at what might have happened before Harry Potter came to be. Gimme a break, geeze… But other than that, read, enjoy, and REVIEW (nicely! Ha!)!!_

_Oh yeah, PPS: This was only going to be about four chapters, but now it's going to take place from after Lily and James's death until the end of the third book. It sounds really long, but it isn't really! LOL!_

The Prisoner of Azkaban

Based on books 1-3 by J.K. Rowling

By Kirsten

Chapter 1

Finding Wormtail

After Lily and James Potter's murder, Sirius Black knew that there was nothing left. His two best friends were dead. There was a gaping hole in his heart that he knew nothing would ever fill. Their one-year-old son, Harry, his godchild, was off living with Lily's sister and Sirius had no idea how to find him.

But that wasn't why Sirius was alone. He was alone because his childhood friend, Peter Pettigrew, was a traitor. He threw in his lot with the most evil man alive, and killed James and his wife, rather than protect them, like Sirius should have. If only Sirius had stayed the Potters' Secret Keeper, this would have never happened. He wouldn't be in hiding—Remus and Belle would still be his friends… and Lily and James would still be alive, and raising Harry.

But he had told the Potters to switch Secret Keepers to Peter, and he had chosen to betray them all. Sure, Voldemort had disappeared, because of some unknown power within Harry. But what did that matter? Harry would never know his family, and he would think Sirius to be a murderer. But it wasn't true. Sirius wasn't a murderer.

It was Peter. Peter, whom he had known since his first year of Hogwarts, killed his best friends.

James and Sirius had literally grown up together. James's house was like Sirius's second home. Together, with Peter and Remus by their sides, they had learned to be Animangi. Now Sirius could change into a dog with ease—all because of James. With James, Sirius learned how to be himself. James helped him to become the wizard he was today. James was his like his brother—the greatest person he had ever known. And now he and Lily were gone forever. They had slipped right through Sirius's fingers like a wisp of smoke.

Peter had done it. Peter had made the worst choice of his life. And now he would pay. As Sirius made his way down the muggle-filled street, his eyes never left Peter's back. It had taken him a while to locate Peter, and Sirius was not going to lose his chance again. Peter would die for doing this. He would die for betraying them.

"Wormtail, old buddy!" Sirius called out, jogging to catch up to Peter. Sirius clutched his wand in the pocket of his Muggle jacket, as Peter turned to see who had called him. When he saw Sirius, he started to sprint away. No, Peter. Not this time.

Sirius ran faster, his feet smacking against the pavement. His heart was beating fast, thinking about how sweet this revenge would be. He pushed past muggles that were blocking his path, never losing sight of Peter. Sirius watched carefully as he ducked into an alleyway. Sirius followed in hot-pursuit.

Peter was sprinting down the alley, obviously aware of the furious Sirius who was following him. Sirius banged over trashcans and tripped over cats, but refused to let Peter get away. Peter had lived a free-life long enough.

Sirius realized with glee that he was gaining. All those years of Quidditch training were finally paying off. Sirius lunged at Peter, wanting to clobber him until he cried—cried like Sirius had when he had found James's cold, dead body lying in the Potters' living room.

"Sirius! Get off me!" Peter yelled.

"You lying, deceitful, backstabbing—I can't believe you would do this to me and Remus." Sirius said softly, as he punched Peter, letting out all the grief and frustration that had been haunting him since that fatal night. "You may have never liked Lily—but James was your best friend. He was my best friend."

"Stop it! Let go of me!" Peter whimpered. But Sirius stood up, and kicked Peter in the side. Peter cringed, and clutched his ribs. Sirius didn't need a wand—he would kill Wormtail with his bare hands.

"Why would you turn them over to Voldemort?" Sirius asked viciously, kicking him again. "I hope you realized that you not only killed Lily and James, but you killed your precious Dark Lord, too."

"Don't talk about Lord Voldemort like that…"

"I'll talk about that fucking loser all I want. You killed him, too, Peter. Maybe I should just leave it to the Death Eaters to kill you… they will, too, you know." Sirius grinned wildly.

"No they won't—they're my brothers and sisters." Peter moaned.

"They aren't." Sirius kicked him again. But this time, Peter fought back. He grabbed Sirius's leg, and pulled him to the dirty ground. Peter leapt to his feet and started to run again, but this time he was traveling much slower. Sirius got up and chased after him.

"Hell no, Peter." Sirius whispered to himself. "You're not getting away that easy, pal." But suddenly, Peter whipped around, tears still on his face.

"Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?!" Peter shouted. Realizing that Peter's wand was pointing right at him, Sirius pulled out his own wand. Suddenly, there was a huge explosion right at Sirius's feet. He crouched down, and covered his face as debris and chunks of the street came falling from the sky.

The sounds of muggles screaming reached Sirius's ears, and as the dust began to clear, Sirius could no longer see Peter. But there was, however, a pile of Peter's robes lying in the middle of a huge crater that spread out before Sirius. Sirius instantly realized what Peter had done.

He had transformed into a rat to frame Sirius. An ironic grin broke over Sirius's face and he began to laugh.

But as the Ministry began to arrive, he soon found that this was no laughing matter.

Peter had killed 12 muggles in his escape stunt, and left all the fingers pointing to Sirius—actually, the only finger doing the pointing was Peter's, as that was the largest part of him that the Ministry could find. Peter had faked his own death, and had gotten away from Sirius's wrath once again.

Hit Wizards showed up almost instantly to take Sirius away. "Let go of me! You don't understand—" Sirius yelled, but they jammed him into one of the Ministry cars, and chained him to the seat, before locking all the doors. Then, for the first time, Sirius realized what trouble he was in. Peter was gone—everyone thought he was dead. Sirius was going to go to jail. And he had lost his chance at Peter forever.

Almost instantly, another Ministry worker hopped into the front seat of the car, and revved up the engine. He didn't say a word to Sirius; though Sirius noticed the fearful glances he was shooting into the backseat.

"Where are you taking me?" Sirius asked the man, with a hint of worry in his voice.

"Where we take all the other You-Know-Who supporters: straight to Azkaban, idiot." The man snapped. Sirius was taken aback by the man's rudeness. How dare he treat Sirius like some common criminal.

But then it hit him.

He was a common criminal.

To the entire world, at least. To the entire world, he, Sirius Black, was the man who killed Lily and James Potter. He was the man who just blew up Peter and 12 other muggles in the London streets. No one in the entire world would believe his story. Except…

"I need to speak to Albus Dumbledore. Can he meet us at Azkaban?" Sirius asked the man frantically, straining against his binds.

"Uh—no." The man replied, noticing Sirius's struggling. He seemed to take this as a violent gesture, and he accelerated the car.

"Great." Sirius mumbled. This was just what he needed. No one to defend him—no one who would care if the dementors sucked out his soul right on the spot.

After a while, the car stopped behind a tall building. The man pulled his wand out of his pocket, and tapped the dashboard, muttering some spell that Sirius didn't catch. At once, ten men came out of the backdoor of the building, and came running over to the small car. Some of them surrounded the car with all wands pointed at Sirius, while others came to escort him out of the car and into the ram-shackle building. Sirius couldn't help but laugh again. This whole situation was utterly ridiculous.

But yet again, Sirius laughter was mistaken for madness, and the men looked at each other nervously, as they yanked him bodily from the car and through the backdoor.

Inside, Sirius immediately felt the cold. The walls were made of stone, and everything looked old and dirty. There were some empty cells along the walls, but the men walked Sirius past them and up a staircase.

"This isn't Azkaban." Sirius observed.

"It's a holding cell. Until we can get you transportation." A man answered. At the top of the staircase, there was yet another cell—though this one had another woman in it. "Get in."

Sirius was shoved into the cell, and the bars were slammed shut. The key scraping the lock was almost deafening to Sirius. Seven men stood outside the cell, with their backs turned to Sirius and the other woman. Sirius backed away from the cell door, and towards the tightly barred window. He looked out and down at the grimy London streets pensively. How did this happen?

"What you in for?" The woman asked Sirius gruffly. Her voice was so low, Sirius almost wondered if the woman was really a man, but her tattered and revealing dress that left nothing to the imagination cleared away that thought quickly. Sirius didn't want to answer her. There was no doubt that she was here for something she actually did.

"I said, what you in for?" The woman repeated. Sirius could feel her eyes boring into his back, and he finally turned to answer.

"I was framed." He said shortly.

"Me too."

"Really?!"

"No." She laughed harshly.

"Of course you weren't." Sirius muttered, embarrassed by his stupidity. He turned back to the window, and banged his head against the bars. It hurt, but Sirius had to convince himself that he wasn't having some horrible nightmare.

"Aw, I was just kiddin'—Been mighty lonely up here all by meself." The woman said slowly. Sirius still didn't look at her.

"I'm sure you've had enough nights of… company that you don't know what real loneliness is." Sirius said hollowly.

"What's that supposed to mean? Are you calling me a slut?" The woman shrieked.

"Could be." Sirius smiled spitefully, turning to look back out the window.

"Ass hole."

"Thanks."

"It wasn't supposed to be a compliment." She snapped acrimoniously.

"I know." Sirius replied softly. "But it's the nicest thing I've heard anyone call me in a while." 


	2. The Trial

A/N: I'm baaaaaaaaaack! Mwahahaha! –ahem- anyway, so I hope that you enjoyed the first chapter of my new story! In case you didn't pick up on it, it starts more or less where "Lily Evans and the Hidden Crystal of Hogwarts" left off. But if you haven't read that story, I STRONGLY suggest that you do. A few of the characters might not mean anything to you if you don't know who they are. Anyway, you know the deal: Read, review, and relish!

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Chapter 2

The Trial

The next morning, Sirius was taken out of his holding cell, and brought to the Ministry of Magic for his trial. He was exhausted—he didn't sleep at all the night before. He hadn't even gotten the opportunity to call Dumbledore. He had always thought that the accused where allowed a lawyer, or something.

But now, as he sat chained down in the straight-backed wooden chair of the dungeon trial rooms, Sirius was sure that there was going to be nothing fair about this trial. The Mistress of Magic sat high at the bench above him, scowling down at him.

"The trial of Sirius Black, on the tenth of November." The Mistress began, shuffling through some notes on her desk. Sirius glanced behind him at the two dementors that had escorted him in. His insides were still cold from their touch, and he hoped that he wouldn't have to go to Azkaban, where the dementors thrived.

"You have been brought before the Counsel of Magical Law, so that we may pass judgment on your charges relating to that of You-Know-Who. Before we begin, do you have anything to say?"

"Only that I didn't do any of it." Sirius muttered dejectedly. The entire hall rang out in laughter.

"Well, now that that's settled!" The Mistress snickered bitterly. "Please bring forward the first witness, Miss Arabella Figg." Sirius turned to look anxiously at the door—Belle was here. He was saved. Belle may have called him a traitor the night James and Lily were killed, but surely she wouldn't kick him off to the dementors…

Belle entered the room warily, watching the dementors carefully. She walked up to her seat near the Mistress and sat down, not once looking at Sirius, though he was doing everything he could to catch her eye.

"Is it true, Miss Figg, that Sirius Black was the Potter family's Secret Keeper?" The Mistress asked Belle, as she looked over her notes.

Belle looked determinedly at her hands, which were twisting a handkerchief nervously. "Y-yes."

"No! We switched!"

"Mr. Black, if you would be so kind!" The Mistress shouted. Sirius looked back at Belle, who looked at him for the first time. "And did the Potters ever mention… switching Secret Keepers? If that is even possible…" The Mistress looked at the jurors and they all snickered.

"No. Though I hadn't spoken to Lily or James for a while before they… before it happened." Belle put her hand over her eyes, and Sirius breathed deeply. She still didn't believe him. He was still the traitor in her eyes.

"Though I'm sure you've heard of what Mr. Black has done to Peter Pettigrew?" The Mistress asked.

"Y-yes. I have." Belle said softly.

"And?"

"And I… can't understand why Sirius would do that." Belle replied. "I can't understand why he would do any of it."

"Belle, I—" Sirius began, but the Mistress cut him off.

"It's because he was in league with Vol… You-Know-Who all along, my dear! He fooled you. He killed two of the most influential wizards of our time, and killed the one who tried to defend them—we shall not let this go unpunished, I promise you, Miss Figg." The Mistress said persuasively, giving the juror's box a meaningful look.

It occurred to Sirius that the Mistress was purposefully making it seem like all this was Sirius's doing. This was practically a publicity stunt—just to prove that the Ministry was catching Death Eaters. Sirius had to admit, though, that it was amusing how the Mistress of Magic didn't want to say Voldemort's name.

Belle broke down into tears. Sirius wanted nothing more than to be free of these chains, just so he could comfort her. She shouldn't be going through any of this.

"There, there, Miss Figg. You may go." The Mistress cooed, her voice dripping with false pretence. "Next witness!" She called.

Remus Lupin entered the courtroom. When he passed Belle, he put a sturdy hand on her shoulder, just has he had done for Sirius in his times of need. His usually bright gray eyes were dark, and hollow. Remus looked rather sickly, and no wonder, for the full moon had recently passed.

"Remus Lupin, you also were witness to the Potters dubbing Sirius Black as their Secret Keeper. Do you believe that he is at fault for their death?" The Mistress asked as soon as Remus was in his chair.

"I don't know what to believe anymore." Remus replied faintly. Unlike Belle, Remus was looking straight at Sirius, his eyes locked on Sirius's. Remus wasn't angry with Sirius—he was disappointed, which was so much worse. It made Sirius want to melt with sorrow. "But I find it hard to believe that Sirius would knowingly murder three of his best friends."

Sirius was forever grateful. Remus believed him—Remus would save him from the dementors, from the Mistress of Magic, and from Azkaban.

"And is it true, Mr. Lupin, that you are a werewolf?" The Mistress asked outright. She leaned toward Remus casually, with her hand under her chin as though she were asking him what he had eaten for lunch. Sirius glared at her. Did she have any idea how rude she was being?

"I'm afraid I don't see the relevance of that question, Mistress."

"Just answer it." She growled.

"Yes. I am a werewolf." Remus said, trying to hold his head a little higher.

"I see." The Mistress exchanged a knowing glance with the jurors again. "So, a werewolf doesn't think that Sirius Black is a Death Eater?"

"No. I do not." Remus answered, small fire lighting behind his eyes. Sirius wanted to jump up on that desk and kick the Mistress in the face. Remus had been through enough as it was this past week without her making prejudiced comments.

"We've heard enough from you, Mr. Lupin. But thank you." The Mistress chuckled. Remus nodded his head graciously, and got up with dignity and strode out of the room. And Sirius was again alone, and in a worse position than he had started.

"Because of the evidence brought forward here today, we can conclude that Mr. Sirius Black was, indeed, the Potters' Secret Keeper. Because of the powers of the Fidelius Charm, only he could have told Vol… You-Know-Who… about the Potter family's residence, which then resulted in their murder." The Mistress said to the jury. Sirius closed his eyes. This can't be happening… "Now we'll bring in eye-witness muggles who saw Sirius Black openly murder Peter Petigrew in a muggle street. Bring in the first muggle, if you please." She said, motioning to the door.

A worried looking muggle entered the courtroom, looking terribly flustered and confused. The Mistress beckoned the muggle toward her desk, and he followed.

"Please, Mr. Lafayette, could you tell us—before we modify your memory—what happened yesterday afternoon?" The Mistress asked him.

Lafayette shifted uncomfortably in his chair, and gave Sirius a fearful look. "Wh-what do you mean, modify my memory?"

"Nothing for you to worry about, sir, just tell us what you saw."

"Al-alright. My wife, my son and I were doing some shopping, when suddenly we heard this huge explosion nearby. When the dust had cleared, I saw a gigantic crater in the street. He was standing at the foot of it, laughing his head off," the man said, pointing an accusatory finger at Sirius, "and at the bottom of the crater, there was a pile of something—it may have been a body—"

"It wasn't his body—Peter transformed! He wasn't even there!" Sirius interrupted.

"Mr. Black! Hold your tongue!" The Mistress cried out. "Continue, Mr. Lafayette."

"Like I said, there was something at the bottom, which may have been a body. I saw at least 10 corpses strewn all around the crater. The whole thing was pretty weird—and I don't know how he managed to blow up the street, but—"

"Thank you, Mr. Lafayette." The Mistress cut him off, obviously not wanting to explain how magic wands work. "Next witness."

The disgruntled muggle left the courtroom, escorted by a Ministry wizard, who was surely about to modify the muggle's memory of the event. The next witness was a muggle woman, who tugged her shawl tightly around her. Sirius was tired of this—these witnesses didn't know anything, and they certainly weren't helping his situation.

"Good morning, Mrs. Berger." The Mistress said to the woman. "Could you tell us your accounts of yesterday afternoon?"

"Yes, of course. I was minding my own business, when I heard two men shouting at each other. The short tubby one shouted something about two people—Lily and James, I think it was… and he pulled out a funny-looking stick. That man, there, pulled out a stick as well, one of them said something, and there was a large explosion where they were standing. Imagine my shock to see 13 people lying dead, and him laughing at it. I nearly wanted to smack him with my purse!" Sirius cringed, glad that the woman had chosen against whacking him.

"Thank you, you may go." Another Ministry wizard came and took the woman out of the room. "Is that all the witnesses?" The Mistress asked.

"Don't I get to have a say? Do I get to tell my side?" Sirius asked desperately. He had to tell them—Remus and Belle had to understand—he didn't kill Lily, James, or Peter.

"Anything you have to say, Mr. Black, will surely be a lie. But if you feel the need… be our guest." The Mistress smirked.

"Okay, so I was the Potters' Secret Keeper." Sirius began, wishing that he wasn't still chained down. "But I didn't kill them—the morning that they were… murdered, I went to Lily and James's house. I wanted to convince them to switch Secret Keepers to Peter Pettigrew, because I thought that Voldemort," everyone flinched, and some shouted, or shrieked, "I thought that Voldemort would come after me to get to them, since he knew I'm their best friend. Anyway, so we switched Secret Keepers to Peter, and he betrayed the Potters—not me. And then—"

"Mr. Black, I hope you realize that you just accused the man you killed of murder. You have no possible way of proving these accusations!" The Mistress laughed. "Not only that, but Peter now has the Order of Merlin, First Class—he is considered a high-ranking wizard!"

"Dumbledore performed the ceremony—talk to him! He knows that we switched." Sirius said impatiently. "Ask him to come here—ask him who was the Potters' Secret Keeper!"

"I'm afraid that that is impossible. Dumbledore is away." The Mistress said uncomfortably, looking down at her notes and shuffling them impatiently. "Now if you've said your piece…"

"I'M NOT FINISHED!" Sirius bellowed. "Peter is an Animangus—he can turn into a rat! That's how he escaped yesterday—I didn't kill him, I didn't even say a spell. He did all that to himself!"

"Then explain how the largest part of Petigrew that we could find was his finger, hm?"

"He cut it off! Find a rat with a missing toe and that's were you'll find Peter Pettigrew!" Sirius yelled, straining against his binds.

"I've never heard such lies!" The Mistress said, scandalized. She waved her wand and a document popped in front of her. "Here is the list of registered Animangi, and I do not see Peter Pettigrew's name. Nor do I see anyone registered as a rat for the last 20 years, Mr. Black. I'm afraid your story does not check out."

"Did you ever think he could be unregistered?! I've seen him transform! He's framing me, and you don't even care!" Sirius cried.

"I've heard enough, Black." The Mistress snorted. She glanced over at the jurors, all of which nodded solemnly. "The jury finds Mr. Sirius Black guilty of the murder of Lily Potter, James Potter, and Peter Pettigrew, under the reign of Lord Vol… You-Know-Who." The Mistress said, rising from her chair, and leering down at Sirius. "Dementors, take him to Azkaban, and lock him up in a high-security cell. Mr. Black is highly dangerous."

"NO! This wasn't a fair trial! I'M NOT A DEATH EATER! Check my arm!" Sirius shouted angrily, as he watched the dementors gliding over to his chair. "No! No, please! Talk to Dumbledore… I want to talk to Dumbledore!" Sirius yelled. The dementors carefully unlocked his chains, and Sirius began to feel sick. Their rattling breaths drew in any happiness that he might have left in his life, and everything was freezing. Sirius's shouts of injustice were immediately silenced, as he could no longer find the strength to speak. The dementors' frosty breaths nearly brought him to his knees. He felt on the verge of unconsciousness as one of the dementors grabbed his arm, and began to pull him out of the courtroom.


	3. The Darkness of Azkaban

**A/N:** _Hey buddies! You have no idea how happy it makes me to see all these reviews… YEAH TOO BAD I HAVE ZERO!! Whew… okay, breathing… PLEASE read and review my story. I won't know if I should update, if no one reviews. COME ON!_

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**Chapter 3**

**The Darkness of Azkaban**

Sirius's first impression of Azkaban Prison was not a good one. But how could it be? There was nothing welcoming about it, and he didn't even deserve to be here. There were dementors everywhere—the place was literally crawling with them.

The huge castle-like prison was made of stone, with stretching towers and a creaking drawbridge. But worse than the outside, was the inside. Here, men and women were going mad of misery and depression, and their shrieks could be heard from all corners of the jail. Dementors glided around the grimy, dirty halls, their sinister, blank hoods watching your every move, and their quaking breaths struck a pang of fear into the hearts of each criminal there.

"Get in there, Black." The Hit Wizard growled, tossing Sirius forcibly into one of the high-security cells. The floor was mucky, and felt disgusting to the touch, but Sirius slid himself into a seated position against one of the walls. He looked out of his wrought-iron cell door and into the cell across the way. There, a man was lying on his back staring up at the ceiling. Sirius was unnerved to see that he was jabbering animatedly to himself in another language, occasionally flipping back to English to answer his own questions.

Sirius shook his head, and looked at his hands. He hadn't washed them in days, and there was dirt under his nails and smothering his palms. He realized how stupid it was to care about how clean his hands were—he was in jail, after all. But he wasn't just literally dirty—he felt contaminated all around. What was he doing here? This place… was horrible, and everything in his life was even worse.

Sirius didn't even have a window in his cell—how would he know how the days were passing? As the night approached, however, dementors came by and put out the torches that lit the passages. Sirius wondered inwardly why there even were torches—the dementors didn't need to see, and darkness would have been a welcome sight, compared to what he had seen so far.

But when the torches were out, the dark was so thick that Sirius couldn't even see his own hand in front of his face. Wordlessly, Sirius curled himself into a ball, and lay down on the stone floor to sleep.

The next morning, a Hit Wizard visited his cell to tattoo his registration number and identifications to his chest, so that he could always be recognized. As the wand branded him, he realized with despondency that now he would always be remembered as the man who killed Lily and James, the man who went to Azkaban for murdering Peter in the streets of London—the whole entire lie was there, branded on his chest for the rest of his life. When his job was done, the Hit Wizard left Sirius alone, and slammed the cell door closed with a ring that echoed through Sirius's mind.

On the third morning, Sirius experienced something that he had hoped he never would have to encounter. The insane man across from him was given the fatal dementor's kiss. Three dementors had come gliding into the man's cell, and they all gathered around, so that the man was no longer visible to Sirius. Then came the clattering breaths, and the man's screams. It chilled Sirius to the bone to hear such agony and suffering. The dementors lowered their hoods, and Sirius felt sick to his stomach, and wanted to throw up. They brought their faces closer to the man's, and he stopped howling… but then a bright white light came floating up out of his throat towards one of the dementor's mouths, and they dropped the man to the floor eagerly. The lucky dementor swallowed the man's soul and they left. When the dementors had disappeared, the man lay on the floor of his cell, staring at Sirius with wide eyes and a blank expression. Those vacant eyes haunted Sirius until more dementors came later that day to move the man someplace else.

The dementors were constantly leering in Sirius's cell, taking experimental gulps of his cheerfulness—which there was little left of, by now. But as the days turned to weeks and the weeks into months, Sirius stopped caring, and nearly stopped noticing.

Occasionally, Sirius would transform into a dog, at first it was for his own amusement, but then he started to do it just so the dementors would think that he, like the rest of his jail-mates, was going crazy. But really, Sirius was just as sane as the day he had entered Azkaban, for he really had no happiness that the dementors could take away—he had already lost everything he had loved in this world. The only thought that he really had was to find Peter and prove his innocence.

But as the months turned to years, and he got another tattoo on each finger for every year he was in the prison, those thoughts of proving innocence were over. He wanted to kill Peter just so he could commit the crime that he was here for.

The years passed by slowly. Sometimes, when the new Minister of Magic came by to check up on things, Sirius would ask him for the Daily Prophet, and Sirius could keep himself caught up on things in the wizarding world. Sirius would watch when new prisoners were brought in. He learned more about them by watching than he did from reading the Prophet. Watching and listening was how Sirius learned things normal people would never know.

It was by listening that he learned what his godson had accomplished in his first year of Hogwarts. Harry had faced Voldemort while attempting to protect the coveted Sorcerer's Stone. Just like his dad and the Hidden Crystal. Sirius was so proud, but had no one to share it with.

Only once did Sirius ever have a visitor.

A Hit Wizard led his guest down the dank hallway and to his cell. At first, Sirius didn't even notice that she was standing there looking at him. He was too busy looking at the new number added to the middle section of his left pinky that morning. The Roman numeral 11. He had been here 11 years.

"S-Sirius?"

He looked up, and saw Belle standing before him, watching him carefully. It didn't quite register to him that Arabella Figg was standing outside his cell, wanting to see him—actually wanting to talk to him.

"Sirius, I… How… Are you holding up all right?" She asked tentatively. It was almost as though she expected him to be out of his mind. He thought how funny it might be if he pretended that he was, just to see how she would react, but he settled on shrugging instead.

"I-I thought you might… you might like a visitor." Belle replied softly. Sirius smiled to himself. Did she maybe miss him? "I mean, it's been 11 years, now."

"I know." Sirius said. His voice was frog-like, and sounded raspy. He hadn't realized that he hadn't really used his voice in ages. Belle looked taken aback that he could actually talk. Sirius looked at her and smiled slightly. She looked just as beautiful as always… but she was older, and she seemed more reserved than she had been 11 years ago.

"H-how's Remus?" Sirius choked.

"He's fine. Just fine." Belle said stepping closer to the bars, and wrapping her fingers around them as though she wanted to go to him, to touch him. But Sirius didn't move. "Well, he's more or less fine… as fine as he can be…" She continued, stuttering slightly. She didn't know what to say, it was so obvious.

"That's good." Sirius said, his throat starting to hurt a little bit from the strain. He gulped, and got to the question he had wanted to ask for 11 years. "And Harry? How is he?"

"He's growing up, Sirius." Belle smiled, her eyes brightening.

"He's just like his dad, right? It's his second year at Hogwarts now, isn't it? Is he good at Quidditch? Or is he a bookworm, like his mum? Does he—"

"Oh God." Belle whispered, tears filling up her eyes. "God, why did I come here?" She asked herself angrily. She released the bars, and started to pace back and forth. It was like she was debating leaving, just to walk right back again.

"What are you talking about?"

"Of course all you'd care about is Harry! I mean, he's killed your master twice now!" Belle cried.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sirius asked angrily. "I'm not a Death Eater, Belle. I never was!"

"You know what? I don't want to hear your lies anymore. I don't even know why I came…" Belle turned to leave, but Sirius only had to say one thing to bring her back.

"Because you miss me."

"I most certainly do not." Belle snapped, wiping her face. "You murdered three of my friends, why would I miss you?"

"I didn't betray them, Belle."

"Don't you see, Sirius? I can't believe anything that you say anymore! You'll probably just deceive me again." Belle said, frustrated. It was like she was trying to convince herself of this, more than Sirius. "I'm sorry that I even came. Goodbye Sirius."

"I didn't kill them, Belle." Sirius called after her. He didn't know if she heard him, but just the fact that she had wanted to see him at all meant something to him. Even if she thought he was a liar and a back-stabber, she still missed having him around.

And he missed her, too.

He missed them all—James, Lily, Remus, Belle… but mostly Harry. He never even got to know his godson. Alone in his cell, Sirius sometimes imagined what he might look like now: Just like James, when he was 12, with his mother's vibrant green eyes. He often wondered what life would have been like if Hagrid had let him keep Harry that night. Surely they would have been the perfect pair—Sirius would have told Harry everything about his parents, from their childhoods before Hogwarts to his mother's passion for music, to his father's desperate wedding proposal to Lily the morning before she was going to marry Amos Diggory. He wouldn't have replaced James or Lily, but rather brought them alive for Harry.

It would have been perfect.

But now his life was far from perfect. As he sat alone in his cell, there was nothing to think about, so he would transform into a dog and just sit in his cell, letting boredom buzz through his mind.

Until one day.


	4. The Hunt Resumes

A/N: So, I still have hardly any reviews, but hey, I feel like posting more. How about this? Unless I get AT LEAST three reviews (and that's really not very many, if you thin k about it) I refuse to post chapter 5. Maybe. Unless I change my mind. Okay, shut up.

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Chapter 4

The Hunt Resumes

"Morning Minister." Sirius nodded, as Cornelius Fudge walked down the halls of Azkaban a year later.

"Black." The Minister answered curtly. Sirius smiled at his discomfort in having a convict speak to him.

Before the Minister could pass his cell, Sirius spoke up, "Are you finished with that newspaper, Minister? I like the crosswords, you see."

"Er, certainly." He replied. Sirius stretched his hand through the bars for it, but instead, the Minister chucked in through the bars.

"Thank you, sir." Sirius said, turning to pick up the paper. Sirius made himself comfortable in the back corner of his cell. Here he get out the Ever-Ink Quill that one of the Hit Wizards had dropped ages ago, and he unfolded the newspaper.

"Oh my God." Sirius breathed, dropping the quill with a clatter, and shaking the newspaper, staring at the front page's picture.

In a whisper, Sirius read to himself, "Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry of Magic, has one the annual Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw.

A delighted Mr. Weasley told the Daily Prophet, 'we will be spending the gold on a summer holiday in Egypt, where our eldest son, Bill, works as a curse breaker for Gringotts Wizarding Bank.'

The Weasley family will be spending a moth in Egypt, returning for the start of a new school year at Hogwarts, which five of the Weasley children currently attend."

But Sirius could care less what the article said. It was the photo he cared about. There, sitting on a tall, gangly, boy's shoulder was a rat. But not just any rat. Wormtail.

That scoundrel got to spend the summer in Egypt, while Sirius sat in a cold, dank, cell.

If that wasn't the last straw, Sirius didn't know what was.

…Returning for the start of a new school year at Hogwarts…

Peter was at Hogwarts. Or he was at least going to Hogwarts. Sirius had found him at last.

But worse still, he was at Hogwarts with Harry. If Voldemort were to come back… Peter could kill Harry in an instant. No one would expect it… Harry wasn't safe.

With that thought in his head, Sirius knew that he had to escape from Azkaban. There was no way Peter would be getting away this time. Belle had to know that Sirius was innocent. Remus had to understand that James and Lily were his best friends and he would never harm them. Harry had to know that Sirius didn't murder his family.

This time, Peter, you won't escape. This time, Peter, you will truly pay. He wouldn't get off as easy as he did the last time. Sirius now realized that Peter was competent enough to think a plan through—but so was Sirius.

As the days passed, the thought of revenge engulfed Sirius. He was dreaming about finding Peter at Hogwarts, and torturing him until he realized what he had done to Sirius. He's at Hogwarts… He's at Hogwarts…

And as for methods of escape, Sirius couldn't think of any. All he knew was that dementors couldn't see, and that when he was a dog, his emotions were so simple, they were practically non-existent. He's at Hogwarts… Hogwarts…

Finally, Sirius just decided he would try to slip past them as a dog. And if he got caught… well, what did he have to lose, really? With any luck, the dementors wouldn't even notice he had left, for an empty cell would give off the impression that he had gone so crazy that he couldn't even think. At Hogwarts… He's at Hogwarts…

So, one night, when the dementors were bringing in his gruel dinner, Sirius transformed, and ran past them. His dog paws clacked against the stone floor, and some convicts chuckled crazily and pointed at him. But Sirius didn't stop—he just ran and ran. He's at Hogwarts… He's at…

When he was out of the jail, he swam back to the mainland as a dog. He paddled for at least an hour—but he wouldn't let himself stop. He couldn't even feel the cold; he had done it. He was out.

He didn't stop running when he reached land. In fact, he hardly stopped running for days. For a brief moment, he would pause, but he grew paranoid that a dementor would jump out from behind him and bring him back to that hellhole.

But one night, when he was sure that he was far, far, away from Azkaban, Sirius the dog just collapsed. He lay there on the grass and slept. The grass was cool against his furry body, and it felt amazing. It was like he had never been outside before—just being in the moonlight brought back happy memories of camping with James during summer holidays when they were kids, or trouping around Hogwarts grounds with Remus in his werewolf form. Cheery thoughts and memories were flying back to Sirius, and it was the most amazing feeling. But by the time that Sirius had finished watching the most beautiful sunrise he had ever seen, his mind had returned to the task at hand.

Sirius wanted to see Belle. She would know where to find Harry, and he could tell her the real story. Then he had to get to Harry's aunt and uncle's house. He wanted to talk to Harry if he could—or at least see him. Then, he would go to Hogwarts, and find Peter and either turn him in or kill him—Sirius still wasn't sure which one sounded better. Sure, freedom was great, but Peter deserved to die.

With this plan set in his mind, Sirius set off once more, the sun rising in the morning sky, and Sirius's big black feet padding along the roads. He would win, this time. _Look out, Peter, I'm coming._


	5. Visiting Arabella

A/N: _Emerald Eyed Cutie is the best! You totally rock. So, for you, I update early. I hope you enjoy it, even if no one else has the decency to review! LOL! Just kidding… but still, REVIEW MEH!_

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**Chapter 5 **

**Visiting Arabella**

Sirius remembered all too well where Belle Figg lived. He had been there many times with Lily, James, Remus and… Peter. When she came to visit him in his cell, he recalled that she knew about Harry—she knew how he was doing. Therefore, in his haste to find him, Sirius assumed that she must know where he could find Harry. And, maybe, she would let him explain… maybe if he came knocking on her door, he could make her understand. He needed someone to hear him out—anyone.

Before he had come up with the idea to drop in on Belle, Sirius had thought of Remus. Remus would have listened, and surely he would have helped. But Remus had a tough enough life as it was, and he most certainly didn't need an escaped criminal knocking on his door. Werewolves weren't exactly looked up to, and having Sirius at his house might look too fishy.

His bear-like body lumbered down the streets, making his way to Belle's house. Obviously the Ministry had discovered that he had broken out, but he was surprised to see the extremities they were taking to get him back. Sirius could find his own face looming up at him even from the muggle newspapers, claiming that he was dangerous and carried a gun. Sirius had to admit he found this rather amusing—he didn't even have food to eat, let alone a wand, or even a gun. He'd never even touched a gun in his life.

So because of all this, Sirius traveled at night, with the moon and stars high above him. Sirius found that the darkness was comforting. He didn't have to worry about being spotted, and he didn't have to remember the sunny days before Lily and James died.

It didn't take long for Sirius to find Belle's house. It was like he had been waiting ages to come back here. Sirius found comfort just looking at the outside of it. It's perfect lawn, with the cobblestone steps looked so inviting, and its white paint glowed under the moonlight. Warm yellow light flooded out from behind the lacey curtains, and Sirius didn't want to wait another second before going inside. If she would let him in, at least.

Carefully, Sirius looked up and down the street to be sure that no one was watching him. When he was certain that he was alone, he transformed back into a man. He wasn't all too sure that he wanted anyone—including Belle—to know he was an Animangus. It was a powerful secret, and was an important factor in staying hidden and out of Azkaban. With a deep, settling breath, Sirius stepped onto Belle's porch. He saw there was a cat-door laid inside her front door and he smiled. He had never thought of Belle as a cat person, but he must have been wrong. After a moment, Sirius brought his knuckles down on the door.

And he waited. He prayed that she would answer the door, even though it was late—too late for normal visitors. Finally, the door began to creak open, and Sirius moved into the shadows made by the bright light that was now spilling onto the porch.

"Belle!" Sirius cried softly.

"Oh my God!" The woman cried. Sirius nearly screamed and ran when he saw the woman in full. She wasn't Belle—she was a little stooped old woman, clutching a newspaper under one arm. Her straggly gray hair was pulled out of her face, and she was dressed in a loud patterned skirt, a moose sweater that didn't match and bunny slippers covered her feet.

"I am _so_ sorry, ma'am… I thought—I came to the wrong house…" Sirius stammered, wondering why he had been such an idiot.

"Shut up and get inside!" The woman said angrily, grabbing Sirius by the front of his shirt and pulling him in the door. Sirius was surprised by her strength, and didn't make for the door as she slammed it closed, and dashed to the windows to draw closed the curtains. She then dashed back to the front door and bent down to lock the cat-door, which Sirius found to be rather odd. The whole house smelled like a mix of cats and cabbages, and nothing looked the way it had when Sirius had come to visit Belle more than 12 years ago. Why had he come here? She apparently didn't live here anymore… but then why was this woman running around her house, screeching and banging shut windows and doors?

"I had a feeling you'd come here, but my _God!_ What were you _thinking?!_ If you ever wanted to get yourself out of Azkaban, this was _not_ the way to go about it, you idiot!" The woman shouted at him. "What are you staring at? What are you doing standing there in plain view of anyone outside the windows? No, better question: what are you doing here at all?" She continued, but Sirius still didn't know what to answer. Who was this insane person ushering him into her living room?

The old woman shoved him into an uncomfortably stiff chair, and sat down across from him. She was breathing heavily as she watched him, leaning forward as far as she possibly could, without toppling out of the chair. She didn't say anything, but just stared at him, thoughts and questions whipping though her brain.

"Er," Sirius gulped, shifting awkwardly in the chair. This seemed to wake the woman up again, and she finally blinked.

"Oh my God, Sirius. Oh my God." She breathed, tears starting to fall down her face. Now Sirius was beyond confused. Why was this wrinkled old woman sobbing over him? He wracked his mind—had he ever even met her before?

"I'm sorry… _who_ _are you?" _Sirius asked rudely, unable to stand contemplating her identity anymore.

"Sirius, it's me, Belle." She snapped through her tears.

"What? Belle? No way…" Sirius replied, looking at her carefully. She glared back at him. "Whoa—12 years has been pretty rough on you."

"Shut up, I'm under the polyjuice potion, you prat." She snapped back angrily. "You think I _like_ looking like this? It's the only way I can help…"

"Help with what?"

"Hell no, I'm not telling you anything." She shook her head in frustration. She took a deep breath, and looked at him again sadly. "Sirius, why did you do it? What were you thinking? You… you can't break out of Azkaban."

"And I thought I already had." Sirius chuckled, kicking his feet onto her coffee table, now that he was sure he was indeed in Belle's house.

"Get your dirty feet _off _my table!" Belle cried, giving them a whack. Sirius pouted, and Belle rolled her eyes. They sat in silence for a moment, and Sirius's eyes roamed around the room. "How did you do it, Sirius? How did you get past the dementors?" Belle whispered, finally.

"It was pretty easy, actually," Sirius said, with a casual air. He stood up and walked over toward Belle's mantle to poke around at the trinkets displayed on it. "They thought I was so crazy, that it didn't matter if there was a body in my cell or not. The mind there was the same."

"You were perfectly sane when I went to see you." Belle said almost defiantly. She didn't believe him again. But Sirius noticed that her voice was trembling, and her eyes were full of emotion.

"A rather lot of things have changed since then, haven't they?" Sirius looked over his shoulder at Belle and laughed. But she didn't find his jokes amusing.

"Everyone's looking for you, Sirius." Belle said compellingly. "I've read about it all in the papers—they say that there are dementors looking everywhere for you. They've even set up a hotline for the muggles to call, if they see you."

"Wow, cool."

"It's not cool, Sirius." Belle said angrily, standing up from her chair. Even as a little old lady, she was almost as tall as he was. Sirius didn't answer her, but turned back to look at the mantle. He glanced at the clock there.

"You've only got ten minutes of you potion left." Sirius told Belle, recalling that the polyjuice potion only lasted one hour.

"I know. I have to drink more." She said, moving towards the kitchen.

"Don't."

"And why not? I have to." Belle said bitterly, continuing to walk to the stove. "Do you want something to eat? You look hungry."

"I want to see you how I remember you—how you were when you came to visit me." Sirius said, not answering her previous question.

"That's terribly romantic, and everything Sirius, but I really don't care what you want." Belle said, stirring the potion on the stove, and then moving to the fridge. "Now would you like something to eat?"

"Yeah. Fine." Sirius replied, put off slightly. Belle started to take things out of the fridge to make sandwiches. "I'll help." Sirius offered, making his way into the kitchen to help her.

They made the sandwiches in silence. Sirius watched Belle's hands tremble as she brought the plates to the kitchen table. But when she got there, she collapsed into the chair and started to cry again. Sirius put his hands on her shoulders, and waited for her to control her sobbing.

"Can't you just go?" Belle whispered, trying to stem her steady flow of tears. "Haven't you put me through enough?"

"I'm sorry, I… I just had to talk to you." He said, pulling up a chair next to her. She pushed one of the plates with a sandwich towards him, and he started to eat. It was the most food he'd eaten in days.

"Take mine too." Belle said, pushing her own plate at him as well.

"Thanks." Sirius replied, grabbing it without hesitation. Belle was watching her hands, and Sirius instantly noticed her hair growing darker and tamer, her skin tightening, and her face becoming more round. "You didn't drink your potion." Sirius said softly.

"No shit." Belle sniffed, obviously outraged with herself. But Sirius smiled; she looked just how he remembered, though now her face was blotchy from crying.

"You look beautiful." Sirius said, trying to catch her eye.

"Shut up." Belle bit back.

"Okay, so the potion explains why your house smells like cabbages." Sirius mused. "But what's with the cats? I haven't seen a single cat since I got here."

"You have no idea how lucky you are, either. If one of them had seen you…" Belle trailed off, craning her neck to look out the kitchen windows, as if the cats were spying on them at that moment. At Sirius's confusion, Belle replied, "They aren't really cats. They're all Animangi."

"Seriously?" Sirius asked, eyes wide. Maybe he wasn't safe here.

"But like I said, they're all outside—lucky for you. They would have arrested you in an instant." She said quietly.

"Why are they all here?"

"Why do you think?" She snapped. "To watch Harry."

"So he lives near here?" Sirius asked excitedly, leaning forward. "Where?"

"I'm not going to tell you." Belle said forcefully. "And I never will."

"Why? Are you his Secret Keeper or something?" Sirius joked.

"Could be!" Belle said crossly, getting up and snatching the plates from the table.

"You are!"

"And I take my job quite a bit more seriously than _some _people!" Belle shouted, as she jammed the plates into the sink to wash. She flicked on the sink, and started scrubbing. There was a deafening silence while Sirius absorbed what she had just said.

"Belle, there's something you have to understand. I—"

"I don't really care why you did it, or how you did it… I don't even want to talk about it," Belle said, reaching for a towel to dry her plates.

"Well I do!"

"Look, Sirius, I let you in, I fed you. Just leave, okay? I won't tell anyone that you came here, if you just go!" Belle said desperately. "I don't even know why I let you into my house… you're a murderer!"

"Please don't," Sirius said, staring at his hands.

"Don't what? Call you a murderer?" Belle asked, still upset. "Well, why not? You are one. You killed three people, Sirius! You're a murderer."

"I didn't kill any of them. And you wouldn't have let me into your home if even the smallest part of you didn't believe that." Sirius said, looking up at her.

"God damn it, Sirius! Everyone I ever talk to treats you like a murderer—the newspapers say it, the _Minister_ says it! I can't help it—to the world, you're a murderer. You killed Lily, James, and Peter. _You killed them._ It doesn't matter how it happened—but it did. And… it's your fault." Belle was in tears again. She covered her face. "It's your fault their dead. It's your fault that I can't talk to my best friend anymore."

"Belle, come on." Sirius was taken aback by her forwardness.

"It's your fault, Sirius! You killed Lily, and now her son hates me because I have to bore him every time he comes over, just so his aunt and uncle will send him here again. It's your fault that Harry doesn't have a family—it's your fault." Belle sobbed.

"You don't mean that." He breathed. He stared at the floor, determined not to look at Belle.

"Yes! Yes I do!" Belle cried, chucking the dishtowel to the counter. "You turned to Voldemort and murdered Lily and James—and then when Peter tried to avenge their deaths… you killed him too!"

"You don't know anything about it." Sirius said, temper rising. He got up abruptly from his chair. He didn't have to stand for this. "You don't know what I've been through…"

"I do, because I've been through it too. Do you honestly think that temptations don't come up for me too? Harry doesn't even know who I really am—and I would still _never_ betray him! If you loved them at all, you would have died for them!" Belle said, staring at him. She paused, and recollected herself. Flatly, she added, "Get out, Sirius. Please, just get out." She started to leave the room. But Sirius had waited too long—it was not going to end like this. He jumped in front of the doorway. Belle looked mildly surprised. "Oh, going to kill _me,_ now?"

"I'm not leaving until you listen. You have to hear to what really happened, or you're going to regret it later." Sirius said, steering Belle back to the kitchen table. "So sit down, shut up, and listen to me."

"I don't want to hear your damn lies, anymore. I've heard enough, don't you get it?" She said furiously. "And don't touch me." She said, when Sirius tried to hold her hands in his own.

"I don't care if you don't want to hear what I have to say—you're going to." Sirius said, taking a seat across from her. He took a deep breath. "Peter's alive."

"Sirius! Don't be an idiot—_you_ killed him! Just _stop _doing this—"

"No, he's alive. He's an Animangus—just like your cats. You can even ask Remus." He said, knowing that she eventually would. "He can turn into a rat, and that's what he did the day I 'murdered' him."

"Fine, I'll play along: so where is he, if he isn't dead?"

"He's in hiding, from the Death Eaters."

"And why would he be hiding from Voldemort's followers?"

"Because when he killed Lily and James, he destroyed Voldemort, too." Sirius said. "He knows that the Death Eaters will kill him soon as look at him, for ruining everything they had going." Sirius explained.

"Either you've thought about this waaay too long, or…"

"Look, James and Lily switched Secret Keepers from me to Peter the morning before it happened." Sirius said. "Dumbledore did it—he knows."

"You said that at your trail." Belle said, but then she shook her head. "If Albus knows, then why didn't he testify at your trial? He could have saved you 12 years in prison!"

"I don't know why he wasn't there—I rather would like to ask him that myself." Sirius said softly. "But you know Dumbledore, he always has these long-run plans… I must be a part of one." He half-joked.

"So you're saying that Peter was—_is_ a Death Eater, and he killed Lily and James, which caused Voldemort to die, so now he's in hiding from the other Death Eaters, because he's a coward and doesn't want to be killed?" Belle reviewed. "And, let me guess, you broke out of Azkaban just so you could kill him and get sent straight back to Azkaban, right?" She laughed.

"Pretty much, yeah." He answered, a smile breaking over his face.

"You're insane." Belle said quickly.

"Told you that awhile ago, didn't I?"

"I need some proof, here, Sirius." She said, though Sirius could see the gears in her brain turning excitedly. "I mean, this isn't possible—how… there's no way!"

"Yes there is," Sirius said. He reached into his pocket, and pulled out the article about the Weasleys' trip to Egypt, and pointed at the rat on the gangly boy's shoulder. "That's Peter."

"What? No it isn't…"

"It is! I swear!" Sirius cried, jabbing his finger at the picture. "See his missing toe? Well, Peter's got a missing finger, doesn't he?"

"You are crazy. There could be hundreds of rats with a missing finger—toe, whatever." Belle said, trying to be logical. "It doesn't mean anything."

"I've seen Peter transform countless times, Belle. I know that's Peter. It has tobe him. Just look at his face—how uncomfortable he is. A normal rat doesn't look that human like, either… and see the look in his eyes? He's so shifty…"

"Jesus, you've been studying this, haven't you?"

"Had nothing better to do." Sirius said with a barking laugh.

"So let's just say that I believed you. Then why—" But she broke off, when they both heard a _thunk_ on the front door, as though something had hit the door at a run. "Oh shit! Hide!" Belle exclaimed, putting away the plates, so it wouldn't look as though she had company. Sirius transformed. "Did you hear me? Get out of—You're an Animangus, too? Hell no!"

Sirius looked at her with his puppy-dog eyes, and Belle slapped her forehead. "I won't tell them." She promised. "But honestly!" She hurried to the door, and Sirius followed curiously. Belle bent down and unlocked the cat door.

"What were you doing, locking it?! I hit it at full-speed!" The cat transformed into a man with a loud pop. He was rubbing the top of his head, eyes screwed up in pain.

"I didn't know it was locked—God, what's the rush, anyway?" Belle asked sourly.

"Why aren't you taking your potion?" The man asked confusedly. "And what's with the dog?"

"The dog is just a stray I found outside, and I need to make more." She lied quickly. "What's the problem?"

The man bent down to scratch Sirius behind the ears. "Harry blew up his aunt."

_"What?!"_

"Not Petunia—Marge." The man said. "What's the dog's name?"

"Snuffles—I don't know!" Belle cried. "And what do you mean, he _blew her up?"_ Sirius was just as interested as Belle, though not half as angry.

"He inflated her like a balloon—it was pretty funny, actually." He laughed.

"It's _not_ funny! What if they expel him from Hogwarts? That's the second time he's used magic outside of school!"

"That's not why I came over here, though. He's running away." The man said, finally stopping stroking Sirius. _He's running away…_ Harry couldn't run away, not with Voldemort on the rise again. Sirius started to bark and paw at the door. "Looks like Snuffles wants to save the day." The man laughed again.

"You have no idea." Belle rolled her eyes. "Look, you go call the Minister. Tell him to meet Harry at… the Leaky Cauldron. Then call the Knight Bus and get it to go to… Magnolia Crescent. If I know Harry at all, he'll be traveling away from their house, and towards the park."

"You got it, Mrs. Figg." The man chuckled, giving Belle a salute. Belle frowned and hurried into the kitchen, and came out with a flask of something. She took a big swig of it. "I thought you had to make more…?"

"I guess I didn't." Belle snapped, though now she looked like the wild old woman that had answered the door. She pushed Sirius out of the way with her leg, and opened the door. The second that the door was open, however, Sirius began to sprint toward Magnolia Crescent. "Siri—Snuffles! Wait!"

But Sirius couldn't wait. He was going to see Harry.


	6. Seeing Harry Potter

**A/N: **_Since you all suddenly were so quick to review, I shall reward your speed with another chapter! If you couldn't already tell, the story is starting to pick up, as it will continue to do, as the chapters go on. So, I guess all I can say is enjoy!_

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**Chapter 6**

**Seeing Harry Potter******

Sirius bounded down the street. He had a vague idea where to find Magnolia Crescent, but he knew that it was near a park. The streetlights glowed yellow light in perfect circles around the street, and Sirius strained to see something—anything. He decided to cut over to the next street, so he went through someone's backyard. He leapt over their fence, and then through the side yard.

He was about to make his way out of the yard and onto the driveway, when he stopped in his tracks.

This street was rather dark, but Sirius could see the outline of a 13-year-old boy sitting on the front garden wall. Sirius let out a deep breath. Harry.

Harry stood up suddenly, as though he just remembered something, and he began to rummage through his trunk that lay at his feet. But he slowly straightened up, and Sirius saw him tighten the grip on his wand.

_"Lumos," _He heard Harry mutter. Sirius didn't dare move. Harry turned and cast his wandlight on the driveway. Sirius could now see that Harry looked exactly like James did at the age of 13. Behind Harry's glasses, Lily's eyes looked around the neighborhood warily, taking in everything. Finally, Harry spotted Sirius. Sirius gulped, and resisted the temptation to approach him. Harry was startled by Sirius, and began to topple backwards over his trunk. He landed painfully in the middle of the street, and Sirius didn't do anything.

There was a loud BANG and the Knight Bus was suddenly spluttering right in front of Harry. Sirius smiled gently.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this evening--" But Stan stopped talking to chuckle at Harry, as he stood up. "What were you doin' down there?"

"Fell over." Harry said. He sounded just like Sirius thought he would.

"'Choo fall over for?" Stan laughed.

"I didn't do it on purpose." He sounded irritated. But Harry was looking back over his shoulder to where Sirius was sitting. But before Harry could see him, Sirius felt a huge tug around his neck, and Sirius looked to see Belle pulling him back.

"Don't you dare let him see you," Belle whispered. Sirius transformed back into himself, and leaned against the wall of the house.

"Too late."

"What? You're lying. He didn't see you…" Belle trailed quietly. "Tell me he didn't see you!"

"Er, he didn't see me…?"

"Did he or didn't he see you?" Belle asked angrily.

"He saw me as a dog." Sirius snapped back. Belle let out a sigh.

"Thank God. I swear, if he had seen you in human form…"

"But he didn't, so who cares?" Sirius replied, craning his neck around the corner, to see Harry boarding the triple-decker bus, before another BANG echoed down the street. "Where's he going?"

"Leaky Cauldron, I'm hoping." Belle said. She was looking at him, and Sirius noticed that her face was softening slowly. "We can't stay here, change back. I'll take you to my house." Belle demanded suddenly. Sirius obliged, and transformed into a dog. Belle led him out onto Magnolia Crescent, and Sirius went over to where Harry had been sitting. His godson—Lily and James's only child—had been right here, and Sirius hadn't even spoken to him. "Come on," Belle gave him a gentle kick, and Sirius kept walking.

When they were approaching Belle's house, Belle paused. "Now listen, Si, you don't transform back until they're gone, you understand? And you can't stay here very long, alright?" Sirius barked his understanding, and Belle walked up to the porch. She pushed the door open, and let Sirius inside. Now, though, there were quite a few more people were in the house. Belle led Sirius into the kitchen, and she put on a pot of tea. After the 'cats' had finished drinking their tea, they left, giving Belle heart-felt goodbyes and patting Sirius on the head, saying that they would be back when Harry returned in the summer. Only after they all had gone did Sirius change back into his normal self.

"You almost make a cuter dog than a person." Belle said, clearing away the used teacups.

"You know what's weird? I've been told that before." Sirius chuckled, rolling up his tattered sleeves to help her dry the dishes. "You know, I'm sorry for just showing up like this." He replied, chancing a glance in Belle's direction.

"I know you are."

"But I had to tell you what really happened—you had to know the truth. I'm not who everyone says I am," he continued.

"I know you're not."

"But do you really? Do you believe anything that I said before?" Sirius asked, picking up the china cups and putting them away in the cabinet. Belle didn't answer right away, but just watched him carefully for a moment. He couldn't stay here if she didn't believe him.

"I'm torn." She said finally. "Part of me wants to believe you but doesn't, while another part… a biggerpart…" But she couldn't bring herself to finish.

"There's something I've been wondering for a while." Sirius said hesitantly, cutting her off. "You might know the answer."

"You can ask me anything, Sirius." Belle said quickly. Sirius thought he saw her blush, but pushed the thought aside.

"Do you know if… well, that is to say, does Harry know about me?" He asked hopefully. "Anything at all?"

Belle's eyebrows rose slightly, as though the question caught her off guard. "No," She said quietly.

"Nothing? He doesn't know I'm his godfather? He doesn't know that I was his father's best friend? He doesn't know anything?"

"No, Sirius. He doesn't know any of it." Belle said flatly. She turned, and went into the living room. Sirius came to the doorway, and watched her shake open the _Prophet_ to read. He saw his own face looming at him from the front cover, and it sparked an idea.

"He will soon, though—with my face all over the newspapers, someone's bound to tell him." Sirius said, joining Belle on the couch.

"I suppose," Belle said without much interest. "But he'll know you as something you claim not to be."

"I'm not _claiming _anything, Belle. I'm not a murderer." Sirius said exasperatedly. "You have to believe me; I wouldn't lie to you."

"Fine," She said, still not fully paying him any attention. They sat in silence for a minute or two, Belle reading, Sirius doing nothing but staring at his feet.

At last, Sirius spoke up. "I need a ride."

"What? I don't even own a car. And where could you possibly have to go?" Belle asked, though Sirius suspected she knew the answer.

"Hogwarts."

"I'm not letting you go to Hogwarts."

"Well, I'm not asking for your permission, mummy dearest." Sirius said with a cocky grin. "I'm asking for a ride."

"Well I won't give it to you." Belle said, her temper raising again as she put her paper down on the coffee table. "You're not going. If you track down Harry, he's not going to know what to do but to call the dementors. You know that they have dementors at the school?" Sirius looked at her with genuine surprise. "Oh, you didn't? Well, they're there all right, waiting for you—and if you go there, you'll find yourself right back where you came from. And you won't be able to get out again."

"You're cute when you're angry," Sirius said playfully.

"Shut up, Sirius." Belle snapped, but she was fighting back a smile. "It would be too dangerous for you to go, so I won't drive you there."

"I'm not going there for Harry." Sirius said, hoping that might be why she didn't want him to go.

"You're not? But in the newspapers they said that in your sleep you keep saying, 'he's at Hogwarts.' And you don't want to go for Harry?" Belle asked.

"I talk in my sleep?"

"According to the Ministry, yes."

"Well, Peter is going to be there." Sirius explained, getting back on track.

"Peter's going to be there? How do you know that?"

"It was in that article. The boy whose shoulder he was on goes to Hogwarts. Anyone who takes their rat to Egypt will take them to school too." Sirius reasoned. He could hardly wait to find Peter and strangle him before handing him to the dementors, where Sirius had had to suffer for 12 years.

"Seriously?"

"Siriusly."

"_He's at Hogwarts…_ Peter's at Hogwarts." Belle whispered, working it all out in her brain. She turned to Sirius. "If you're lying…"

"I'm not! I promise. He'll be there." Sirius said quickly.

"And if he isn't? You will have put yourself in danger for nothing, and the dementors will surely find you, and bring you back to jail." Said Belle. "It's not worth it."

"It _is _worth it, Belle. If I can prove that Peter is still alive, I'll be a free man. That's worth everything to me. He'll be there." Sirius answered. "I want to be free."

"You honestly want to risk what you have right now? Lay low for a year or two, and they'll forget that they were ever hunting you in the first place—why would you want to ruin that?" Belle asked, looking him right in the eye.

"I want to be free." He repeated. "And I'll do anything it takes."

Belle stared at him. "I don't have a car, else I would. There's no way you could take floo powder… and walking would take too long. Sirius, just be patient; somehow we'll find a way, but now…"

"No, Belle. I'm not going to wait around for an opportunity." Sirius said angrily. "My opportunity is _now."_

Belle listened to what he said with pursed lips. Sirius knew that she was thinking it over, and he didn't want to rush her. She ran her fingers through her gray hair, and sighed. "Far be it from me to take your 'opportunity' away. I'll see what I can do," Sirius let out a cheer, "but I'm not making any promises!"

"That's perfectly fine, Belle. I just need to get to Hogwarts—even if you could take me half-way, I would still appreciate it." Sirius said giving her a one-armed hug.

"Go to bed," Belle suggested. "I'm sure you're exhausted."    

"Yeah, all right." Sirius said, before transforming into a dog, and curling himself into a ball on the couch. Belle scratched him behind the ears, and went upstairs to bed.


	7. On the Way

**A/N: **_Hey everyone! Thanks so much for your last reviews. Emerald Eyed Cutie, you're still the best, since you review every chapter! Yay! And I'm so happy to see some new readers. I wish some of my old reviewers would come back, too, but we'll give it time. LOL!_

_OMG! There is this super annoying fly in my room, making in hard to concentrate. It's like the size of my thumbnail… is that normal?_

_Oh! Another update: I sent in an application to a Harry Potter webiste to be a weekly columnist. Wish me luck!_

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**Chapter 7**

**On the Way******

The days went by quickly. Belle tried everything she could to help Sirius out of the house. She took him to the market as a dog, and on other random errands that Sirius knew they were only going on just so he could run around a little. But all the same, Sirius was getting restless. He needed to be on his way.

After about a week, Belle told Sirius that she had arranged for a car to take them both to Hogsmeade, and Sirius would be on his own from there.

"Come on, into the car." She said, and Sirius the dog leaped into the car, panting excitedly. She closed the door behind him, and went around the driver's seat. She buckled up, and looked at Sirius, who had his head out the window. Belle rolled her eyes, revved up the car, and rolled up the window on his scowling face.

Sirius wasn't sure how long they drove for, but a few hours after the sun went down Belle parked the car. "We'll stay the night in the car." She told him. "I'm not spending any more money on you."

Sirius woofed his approval, and curled up in the passenger seat, and looked out the window. They were in a quiet Muggle-neighborhood that reminded Sirius of Belle's street. Sirius was tired of being a dog—worse, a dog stuck inside. He looked over at Belle. Her polyjuice potion had long since worn off, and she was sleeping soundly, her eyes closed lightly and her chest rising and falling with even breaths. Excitedly, Sirius transformed, and then crept out of the car.

It felt wonderful to be walking on two legs again. The night air was cool and comforting, and Sirius was thankful to be outside. The moonlight winked down through the trees that lined the streets, and Sirius decided to take a walk around the block.

He was completely alone, and though it would have been nice to have some company, Sirius was sure that it was better this way.

Sirius wondered how close they were to Hogwarts. They couldn't be too close, for Sirius remembered that Hogwarts was off someplace in the mountains, a lone castle among miles of empty land—except for Hogsmeade. Sirius was excited to see the all-wizard village again. He hadn't been there in years, though surely it hadn't changed a bit. He remembered the crisp winter mornings when he and his friends had gone to The Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer or five and to catch up on things with Madam Rosemerta. Sirius smiled when he thought of Zonko's joke shop, and the good times he and James had shared, purchasing things to mess with the Slytherins.

Suddenly, Sirius heard a scream from across the street. He whipped around to see what was going on, and he spotted a woman walking her dog. She was gaping at him, and Sirius instantly realized that she must recognize him as the murderer on the cover of her morning paper. Breaking into a sweat, Sirius started to run back for the car. Unfortunately, the woman must have thought that Sirius was running at _her_ for she shrieked again, and tugged on her dog's leash, pulling it back to what Sirius assumed was her house.

Sirius knew without a doubt that her seeing him was not good. When he saw the car, he reached for the door handle, but saw with fear that it was locked. He started to pound on the windows.

"Belle! Damn it! Wake up!" He shouted, his breath fogging the window. A groggy Belle started to bat her eyes as she began to wake up. "Unlock the door! NOW!"

"Huh?"

"Damn it, UNLOCK THE DOOR!" Sirius screamed, hammering his fists to the glass. He was half-surprised that it didn't shatter beneath his pressure. Finally, Belle pulled up the lock on Sirius's door, and Sirius leaped into the car, looking out the windshield for the woman… or for the Ministry.

"Why aren't you a dog?" Belle asked, looking at him intently.

"No time—DRIVE!" Sirius cried. Still confused, Belle put the key into the ignition, and revved up the car. "Faster…"

"Why? What's the rush?"

"Someone saw me, Belle—drive, please!" Sirius begged. Belle's eyes grew wide when she realized what he had just said.

"God damn it, Sirius!" She cursed, looking over her shoulder to pull back out into the street. With the tires screeching, Belle drove out of the neighborhood. "I can't believe you! I risk everything for you—and this is how you repay me!"

"Look, _I know_, okay!"

"I don't care! I get this car… and I drive you to freakin' _Hogsmeade_—and you think it would be amusing to get out of the car… damn it!" Belle shouted, looking both ways before pealing onto the open street.

"Would you slow down? You're going to get us both killed!" Sirius scolded.

"_I'm _going to get us killed? _You're_ going to get us CAUGHT!" She screamed.

"I hope you know that it's dangerous to drive when you're emotional… maybe I should—" But Belle gave him a death-glare so evil, that Sirius just muttered, "just kidding."

"I can't believe you." Belle said, with her teeth gritted.

"Would you _breathe?!"_

"Breathe? If we don't get out of here, the Ministry is going to be breathing down _our necks!_ And you're sure they saw you? Positive?"

"Yeah—it was an old muggle lady. She kind of screamed, and ran back to her house."

"She ran to her house? Crap, she definitely called the hot-line." Belle said, pushing her foot down even harder on the gas pedal, and sped onto the freeway. Sirius was only slightly relieved to see that the freeway was more or less empty.

"We're gonna crash into something, Belle…" Sirius said warily, eyeing the speedometer.

"It's better than getting thrown in jail!" Belle shouted defensively.

But, after about ten minutes of driving far over the speed limit, Belle eased her foot off the accelerator, and turned off the freeway. "We're almost there." She said quietly.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing." Belle said quickly—too quickly. She paused. "I can't go with you past Hogsmeade. You're on your own from the second you step out of the car, understand?"

"I couldn't ask for anything more than that." Sirius said, turning to look out the windshield again. Belle flipped on the windshield wipers, for it was beginning to rain. He only had a few short minutes left with Belle, and there was so much more he wanted to say.

Belle was looking around guardedly, as she pulled off the road, and started to drive on a road that was mostly concealed by brush. The headlights shone through the tree branches, and Sirius could hardly see, but Belle seemed to know the way. After about an hour, Belle pulled the car off into a shoulder of the road.

"We'll have to walk from here. It's not far, so you'd better transform. I'll make sure you find a place to hide for the night." She told him.

"I thought I was on my own after I got outta the car?" Sirius reminded her, but he was grinning.

"Just transform, would you?" She snapped, as she pushed open her car door. Sirius the dog followed Belle off the covered road, and on an even more covered trail. Belle pulled out her wand, and murmured, "_Lumos."_ Her wandlight lit their way, and it sparkled off the raindrops that slipped through the thick tree branches. Sirius occasionally glanced up at Belle, who was walking by his side and wiping rain off her face—or were they tears?

When they had reached the edge of Hogsmeade, Belle looked at him and nodded. Sirius suddenly realized that she thought that this was it… she was going to leave. Sirius barked instantly, and pushed her legs in the direction of the village.

"No, Sirius. I… I have to go." She whispered. But looking at him, she changed her mind. Sirius always had a knack for that. "I'll take you to the Shrieking Shack, you can sleep there. But I'm not going any further."

Belle walked with him silently, but Sirius ran along excitedly. He was so close to Harry… maybe he would see him when he came to visit Hogsmeade. Sirius was partially determined not to track him down at school—he didn't want to frighten him, after all.

All too soon, the Shrieking Shack was looming up before them. Belle stared at it, and the rain started to increase. "I gotta go, Si." She whispered, patting him on the head, and turning to go.

"Not yet…" Sirius said, hastily transforming and grabbing her arm.

"What are you doing, Sirius? You can't—"

"Too late, isn't it?" Sirius said with a smile, pulling her beneath the protection of one of the trees nearby. Her curls and her face were wet, and she turned out her wandlight before slipping it into her skirt pocket. She was looking at him strangely, as though half of her wanted to get away from him, and the other didn't ever want to move. Then she didn't the one thing Sirius didn't expect: She kissed him.

She grabbed his face, and pulled him to her. It was like she was letting go for the first time, since he came to see her.

"Okay…" Sirius muttered perplexedly as Belle pulled away. He was more shocked than he had ever been in his life.

"Oh my God." Belle breathed. Her face turned bright red, and she stepped away stuttering, "I'm such an idiot… I don't know what came over me… I just—"

But Sirius just smiled, and pulled her to him and kissed her again. He realized that this was what he had been waiting for—this was what was missing in his life. Belle was amazing—why had he never noticed before? Belle had risked everything to save him, to take care of him. She was perfect; _this_ was perfect. All he wanted was to keep kissing her flawless lips, and never let her out of his arms.

But all too soon, Sirius heard someone shouting in the distance. Belle broke away, but didn't move from Sirius's grasp. She didn't want to leave either; it was obvious.

"Hellooo?" A man called into the night. Down the road, Sirius could make out bobbing wandlight. He was coming towards them. "Anyone out here?"

"Sirius, get out of here…" Belle whispered. But Sirius wasn't ready to see her go. He still had to thank her for everything she had done… for taking him in, for reminding him of how much he had loved her since seventh year…

"No, I'm not going to leave you here." He said, taking her hand and dragging her deeper into the trees. "He won't bother us…"

"Anyone out here?" The man called again. Now Sirius could hear the man's feet slopping in the mud. Sirius pulled Belle behind a thick tree.

"Sirius, come on," Belle murmured. "I can't stay… _you_ can't stay. Do you _want_ to get caught?"

"I don't care." He said faintly, because he undoubtedly did care. He looked deep into her eyes, and willed her to feel everything he was feeling. "Please. Stay."

"No, I was stupid to come this far. I shouldn't've… I can't stay with you." She tried to explain as softly as she could manage. She was trying to avoid looking at him. "Now get out of here, or he'll catch you."

"Hello?" The man called out again. Fearfully, Sirius looked out from behind the tree trunk with his back to Belle, and he could see the man through the trees. He was holding his wand high, looking around. "I could've sworn…" The man muttered to himself.

"He's leaving…" Sirius said happily, turning back around to look at Belle. He wanted to kiss her again, to thank her… to tell her everything he had wanted to say since before he had been placed in Azkaban… "Belle?" But she had left. She had Apperated and left him. "Come on, Belle, that's not funny." He said, hoping and praying that Belle was just hiding behind one of these trees. But she didn't reappear. Sirius was alone.

Again.


	8. The Next Step

**A/N: **_Guess what, everyone? In three hours, it will be two very special people's birthday: Harry Potter's, and the mastermind who brought him to our bookshelves, J.K. Rowling. I, for one, am forever grateful to J.K.R. She has given me an outlet for my creative energy, and has given me a place to escape to when I get frustrated or bored with this one. She is amazing, and I'm sure all you other Harry Potter fans will agree._

_So, Happy Birthday, J.K. Rowling. And thanks. For everything._

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**Chapter 8**

**The Next Step******

With a heavy sigh, Sirius made his way to the Shrieking Shack. Though it was supposed to be the most haunted dwelling in Britain, Sirius wasn't afraid. It had been Remus in his werewolf form that made all the frightening howls and screeches. The rain had subsided, but left Sirius shivering and wet. Looking around cautiously, Sirius went around to the back of the large house. He broke inside, using the password that Dumbledore had set for the house ages and ages ago, and stared at the place.

Dust covered everything in a thick blanket. This domicile had stood undisturbed for about 27 years, and it looked it too. Sirius sighed again and closed the door behind him. Sirius didn't bother trying to find a comfortable place to sleep; he honestly didn't care. He sat down beneath one of the boarded up windows, in hopes of getting some fresh air from outside. Closing his eyes, he went to sleep.

The days passed by slowly, and Sirius tried to find ways to entertain himself. Pretending to be a loveable stray, he entered Hogsmeade to eat out of trashcans, and sometimes receive a pitying pat from passersby. If he was lucky, and hung around long enough, the compassionate Madam Rosemerta would bring him customers' leftovers, which he would eat thankfully.

But as mid-October came around, Sirius began to form a plan to catch Peter. He knew that on Halloween night all the students at Hogwarts would be down eating the feast, meaning that the house dormitories would be empty. If he were lucky, the red-haired boy would leave Peter in his dormitory. Then Sirius would make his move, and bring Peter to Dumbledore, and his name would be cleared. There was even a passage to the Whomping Willow here in the Shrieking Shack that had been made for Remus as well.

All he had to do was find out what house Arthur's son was in, and he was home free.

But as Halloween drew nearer, Sirius was starting to worry that he wouldn't find out the house in time, so he decided that he would just have to check all the houses until he found the right one. He was determined not to miss this chance.

But on Halloween morning, Sirius got more than lucky.

The Hogwarts third-years and up were allowed into Hogsmeade, and Sirius enjoyed watching them laughing and playing in the streets. But Sirius didn't see Harry anywhere, which he thought was rather odd. Sirius went back to the Shrieking Shack, hoping to get a small nap in before his big night. But when he heard Harry's name mentioned, his ears perked right up.

"It's too bad we had to leave Harry all alone…" Peeping out through the boards of the window, Sirius recognized the boy instantly as Arthur's son—the one on whose shoulder Peter had been sitting on.

"He'll be all right. He'll like the candy we got him." A girl with incredibly bushy hair said. They were standing side by side, looking up at the Shrieking Shack. "This place is certainly fascinating…"

"Yeah, I guess." The boy shrugged, turning to lean against the fence.

"Ron, you don't have to feel guilty that we're at Hogsmeade and Harry isn't." The girl said plainly.

"Yeah, I know." Ron shrugged again.

"Do you want to go back to Gryffindor tower?" The girl suggested.

"No, that's all right, Hermione. Let's go get something to drink at the Three Broomsticks."

Gryffindor tower. Harry, Ron, and this girl, Hermione, were all in Gryffindor. Peter was in Gryffindor. This couldn't have worked out any better—Sirius knew Gryffindor like the back of his hand, for he too had been in Gryffindor with James, Lily, Remus, Belle, and Peter.

Now all he needed was the password to the common room… but surely the Fat Lady would remember him and let him in?

But of course, she only knew him as a murderer.

"_Please!_ You have to let me in!" Sirius shouted at the portrait. "I have to get in there NOW!"

"You are mad, Sir Black!" The Fat Lady replied dignifiedly. "You don't have the password."

"LET ME IN!" Sirius shouted again. He pulled out a rusty knife that he had found in a trashcan in Hogsmeade. "I don't want to have to do this…"

The Fat Lady shrieked, "I won't!"

"HAVE IT YOUR WAY!" Sirius yelled. He took the knife and started to slash at the picture angrily. The Fat Lady screamed again, and ran out of the picture. This was his chance, and now it was lost—and all because this damn _picture_ wouldn't let him inside.

"Tisk-tisk, Mr. Black!"

Sirius whipped around to see Peeves the poltergeist bouncing in the air with his arms crossed and an intrigued expression on his face.

"Peeves—I've got to get in here…" Sirius tried to explain breathlessly.

"Ickle-Sirius has a temper!" Peeves laughed. "Going to get in oodles of trouble…"

"Peeves—no! You can't!" Sirius cried, but instead of wasting his time with Peeves, he sprinted back down the hall instead. When he was sure that he was out of sight of everyone, he transformed back into a dog mid-run, and continued to sprint towards the Willow. Not bothering to find a stick to touch the knot, he dodged the flying branches and went through the long dirt passage.

The night had been a complete failure. What was he going to do now? Surely Peeves would tell Dumbledore who had ruined the Fat Lady's picture. Why hadn't he controlled his temper? Then Dumbledore wouldn't be on guard for him… but Dumbledore _knew _that he wasn't a murderer, so maybe he wouldn't care if Sirius broke into the castle every once and awhile?

But the student's parents would care. So Sirius was still in the same place he was before. Trapped, with nowhere to turn to.

Bored out of his mind, Sirius watched November come with terrible weather. He was running out of things to do, and he wondered how real dogs could stand being dogs day in and day out on dreary and mind-numbing rainy days like these…

The Shrieking Shack wasn't the most comfortable place in the rain. Little water droplets leaked in through the tattered roof, and left wet puddles on the floor, which mixed with the dust, which was just gross.

Finally, bored stiff, he decided that he wanted to try to break into Hogwarts again. Maybe he would get lucky and he could sneak in after some kid, and he could find Peter and turn him in. He wasn't stupid enough to think that his plan, which relied so much on chance, would actually work… but he was so tired of sitting in the Shack and doing nothing that this seemed to be worth the risks of getting caught.

So, he headed down the dirty passageway happily. Still in his dog form, Sirius wasn't worried about the dementors finding him, though he could sense their cold, eerie presence from the moment that he stepped out from the Whomping Willow.

Heading towards the castle, Sirius saw something ginger-colored sitting on the front step, as lightening flashed overhead. Sirius blinked the pouring rain out of his eyes and approached it, sniffing. It was a cat—it meowed at him suspiciously, but Sirius didn't dare bark back, for the dementors were just down the drive. Suddenly, Sirius heard a loud cheer coming from the Quidditch pitch. The cat meowed again, as if to say, _"Follow me."_ Sirius trotted after the bottlebrush-tailed cat, curiously.

Why did this cat seem to trust him? The cat seemed agitated to be out in the pouring rain, but it seemed as though it had been waiting for Sirius there on the steps, and it wasn't about to leave, which made Sirius even more confused.

Soon, the Quidditch pitch came into view. Sirius could hear commentary being shouted through a magical mega-phone. Sirius barked softly at the cat, and it turned to look at him. The look it its pug-like face seemed to respond, _"I'm taking you there… he's playing." _

_"Who's playing?"_ Sirius looked at the cat with puzzlement.

_"Harry."_

_"You're kidding!"_

_"Go up to the top box… no one's up there."_

_"Thank you… _thank you!" Sirius bounded towards the steps that led to the top box with uncontainable excitement. When he reached the box, he sat up in the top-most row, and stared up into the rain-filled sky, searching for Harry. He could pick him out easily—he flew with even more talent that James. Harry went to turn back to the middle of the field, and there was a huge crash of lightening. Harry and Sirius's eyes met for a fraction of an instant, and Harry looked mystified, and his broom continued to fly straight, but his head was still craning to look at Sirius.

But a loud silence fell over the stands, and Sirius's eyes left Harry to look down. Dementors were entering the stadium. _Shit._ They knew that Sirius was here—they were looking for him. Sirius's heart started to pound, and he wondered if it would be safer to stay put, or run for the Willow.

"Look at Potter!" A boy from a box below shouted, pointing into the air. Sirius looked up, as some students started to scream. Harry was falling from the sky like a bomb, pelting straight for the ground. Harry's broom flew through the sky away from the pitch. Harry was plummeting too fast—much, much too fast. Sirius stopped breathing, as time seemed to slow—he had to save Harry…

But Dumbledore was far ahead of him. He was marching onto the Quidditch pitch, his whole essence fuming with anger. He waved his wand at Harry, who's fall slowed and he rested on ground lightly. Then Dumbledore turned to the dementors, and produced one of the strongest patronuses Sirius had ever seen. The silver phoenix charged at the dementors, causing them to scatter back to their posts. Dumbledore then turned back to Harry, and magicked a stretcher, and Harry floated onto it. Dumbledore then marched to the castle without saying a word.

Now that Sirius was sure that Harry was safe, Sirius bounded out of the stadium, angry with himself for even momentarily thinking that the dementors were too dumb to catch him. He wondered for a second if the cat had gone for the dementors… but he pushed that thought aside. It didn't matter who called them.

Sirius considered going into the hospital wing, just to be positive that Harry would be all right after his fall. But when he glanced at the Hogwarts front gates and he saw the dementors floating back to their positions, Sirius knew he had pushed the boundaries too far today.

He made his way back to the Whomping Willow, but he saw the cat waiting for him.

_"What do you want?" _Sirius scowled.

_"Did you see him?"_

_"Yeah. And the dementors came for me. You didn't have anything to do with that, did you?" _Sirius frowned. The cat looked at him, and seemed to be offended.

_"Why would I do that, Sirius?"_

_"Wha—how do you…?"_

_"I figured it out. I'm Part-Kneazle. I'm good at these things. Name's Crookshanks." _The cat scampered through the dangerous branches of the Willow, and touched the knot for Sirius. _"Now get out of here. I'll come to you when it's safe to come back to Hogwarts."_

_"You know what I'm looking for?"_

_"Of course… that rat that isn't a rat. Peter, isn't it? I've been trying to catch him for weeks." _

Sirius barked happily, and headed for the hole at the base of the Whomping Willow. He turned to woof a thank you to Crookshanks, but he had left. Instead, something else caught his eye. There, at the base of the tree, were the remains of Harry's broomstick.

"I hope we can find it…" Three red-haired boys were making their way towards the tree. Sirius recognized one of the boys as Ron, Harry's friend and the owner of Peter. Sirius glanced at the shredded broom, and grabbed it in his mouth. He quickly brought it out of reach of the trees dangerous branches, before disappearing in the hole before the boys could see him.


	9. A Present for 13 Birthdays

**A/N: **_Hey everyone! I'm glad to see I've got some new readers—very, very cool. I'm also glad that you're all enjoying this story; I can't wait to post all the scenes from the Shrieking Shack, when Harry and gang come in, because I know that you'll like reading them as much as I liked writing them. But, let's not jump the gun—it's only Christmas, after all…(or at least it is for Sirius…)_

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**Chapter 9**

**A Present for 13 Birthdays**

November passed by, and Sirius didn't hear another word from Crookshanks. He thought it was odd that he could communicate with a cat—and it was even more odd that the cat could communicate with him. But he knew that kneazles were incredibly smart, so he guessed that was why it could tell that he was an Animagus. But how did it know he was innocent?

Sirius also found himself thinking of Belle often. He wanted her to come see him again. He never really realized how much he missed having her around until she was gone. He missed lying on her couch, while she scowled at him for leaving dirty footprints on her pillows. He missed drinking his tea in silence, while Belle scowled at him over _the Daily Prophet _for slurping_. _But mostly he just missed _her. _And he never really got a chance to show his appreciation for taking him in, when nobody else would have even considered it.

But Christmas was approaching, and Sirius wanted to see Harry too. He wanted to get him something to make up for the 13 birthdays that Harry had gone parent-less and godfather-less. It was more than unfair, and Sirius wanted to get him something that Harry could cherish for years to come. But nothing came to mind, until he remembered what happened to Harry's Nimbus 2000.

He decided to buy Harry a new broomstick. He could afford it… the only question was how to get it? Which model to buy was not a question, however. The newest model around was the Firebolt. It was the fastest, most amazing broom the wizarding world had seen—it came complete with its own identification number and everything. It would be the perfect gift. _But how do I buy it?_

One morning, determined to get a Firebolt catalogue, as a dog, Sirius ran into the post office. The man working there yelled at him to get out, but Sirius grabbed one of the catalogues in his mouth, and ran right back out again. The man didn't follow him, which was lucky for him, because Sirius was on a mission, and there was no way he could have been caught.

Later that night, Sirius transformed into a man for the first time in about a month. With a stolen quill in his hand and stolen ink well next to him, Sirius started to fill out the order form.

He wrote his name as Harry's, for he knew that no one would accept a purchase from a run-away murderer. But since this was a gift, Sirius wrote down his own Gringotts account number, hoping that no one would notice or care that it was his.

When the sun was down, and the owl-post office was closed for the night, Sirius transformed back into a dog to deliver his order. He slipped the order into the mailbox, so that it would be picked up at delivered the next morning. Hopefully Harry would receive his Firebolt on Christmas. Sirius only wished that he could tell him who gave him the new broom, and why he gave it to him… and how sorry he was that all this happened, _and that I've never been there for you when your aunt and uncle were ass-holes…_

But he left the mailbox happily, knowing that Harry would be in for a little Christmas miracle, a la Sirius.


	10. A Trip to Gryffindor Tower

**A/N: **_Since the last chapter was ridiculously short—the shortest I think I've ever written—I thought that it would only be fair for me to post one more. You can thank me later._

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**Chapter 10**

**Trip to Gryffindor Tower**

Christmas passed quietly for Sirius, which didn't come as a surprise. Sirius spent it curled up in the Shrieking Shack, trying to keep warm. But, of course, that was physically impossible, seeing as the roof leaked, the windows were cracked, the walls let drafts of wind fly right through and even if Sirius felt like clambering upstairs to the deserted bedrooms, the moth-eaten blankets up there were surely so dust-infested that he would have allergies from now until next winter.

But when January rolled around, Sirius was getting restless again. That is, until Crookshanks suddenly appeared in the Shrieking Shack at dusk one day.

_"Peter's escaped."_

_"What do you mean, escaped?"_ Sirius looked at the cat confusedly. Peter had already escaped one too many times; he couldn't escape again.

_"I was so close to catching him… but he pulled his vanishing act again."_

_"Shit."_

_"Tell me about it. Don't worry. Chances are he's still in Hogwarts… he might have even gone back to Ron by now. He's caused quite a row between Ron and Hermione…"_

_"Those are Harry's friends?"_

_"Yeah. You've got to come to Hogwarts tonight. We might be able to find him… or scare him back into the castle." _Crookshanks turned and started back down the trapdoor towards the Whomping Willow.

_"Yeah, all right."_

Sirius followed in silence. If Peter had gotten away again, and this stupid cat was at fault… he might just have to shred this cat to pieces.

When they emerged from the tunnel, the sky outside was dark. Crookshanks motioned for Sirius to follow him through the trees to the left of the Willow. Sirius could hear voices, and he wondered if this was safe at all.

"It's so perfect… did you see how fast I could turn?" Sirius recognized this as Ron's voice. Through the darkness, Sirius could make out two boys walking towards them, heading away from the Quidditch pitch and going back to the castle. Sirius was ecstatic to see that Harry had the Firebolt on his shoulder.

"And the acceleration is so much—" Harry. But he cut himself off. He was staring right at Sirius.

"What's the matter?" Ron said quietly to Harry. Harry didn't say anything, but pointed straight to Sirius. Ron pulled out his wand. Sirius saw it and darted a safe distance away noiselessly, remembering that Belle said Sirius could not be seen by Harry. _"Lumos!" _Said Ron, as his wandlight hit the base of the tree like a flashlight. The glow drifted over the roots of the tree and landed on Crookshanks.

"Get out of here!" Ron bellowed at the cat. Sirius saw him bend down to pick up a rock to chuck at Crookshanks, but Crookshanks dashed away to Sirius's side. "See? She's still letting him wander about wherever he wants—probably washing Scabbers down with a couple of birds now…"

_"You didn't eat him, did you?" _Sirius stared at Crookshanks accusingly.

_"Of course not! What kind of an idiot do you take me for?" _

Crookshanks started back for the castle behind Harry and Ron, but Sirius hung back. _"Where are you going?"_

_"I'm going to go look for him inside. You can look out here." _The cat continued to walk away, leaving Sirius sitting in the edge of the forest in confusion. _"And try not to get caught."_

Sirius searched the edges of the forest all night. If he knew Peter at all, he would not have gone far into the forest—he was too much of a chicken. In the morning, when the sun had long since finished rising, Sirius went to the Quidditch pitch to look for the rat. But just being on the bright green grass of the field was overwhelming. He had played for Gryffindor here ages ago. He had played Beater, and he longed to have a broomstick at this moment, just so he could fly again. The air was cold and crisp—ideal for flying. A light breeze was blowing that wafted sounds of approaching students to his ears. There was going to be a match—he had to get out of here.

Sprinting at top speed, Sirius ran back to the forest, where he would stay until late into the night. Crookshanks came back to meet him, when the moon was high up in the sky, and Sirius was shivering with cold.

_"I think he's back in Gryffindor tower. And you'll never guess what I stole off a boy's nightstand."_ Crookshanks dropped something at his feet. Sirius nudged the roll of parchment open wit his nose and looked at a long list of words.

_"Er, what is it?"_

_"The list of Gryffindor's passwords for the whole week."_

_"Oh my God! This is perfect."_

_"And you might want this."_ The cat dropped something else on the dark grass. It was a golden steak knife straight from the Hogwarts kitchens. It glinted in the night mercilessly. Sirius looked at Crookshanks, suddenly slightly nervous. But he nodded, and picked up the two items in his mouth and ran up to the castle.

"And who art thou, heathen sir?"

"Doesn't matter." Sirius said quickly, taking the knife and the roll of parchment out of his mouth. "Where's the Fat Lady?"

"As you say, sir, it does not matter." The pudgy knight answered with a gleeful grin. "Dost thou have the password for entry?"

"I have the week's worth, shall I read them off one by one?" Sirius asked, trying to not laugh at this picture's pompous senselessness. But he read them off, without the knight's answer. That is, until the knight swung open the portrait, when Sirius had said the right words. Sirius looked into the common room vigilantly. It was empty, which wasn't a surprise, as it was so late it was early. The room showed signs of celebration, so Sirius assumed that Gryffindor had won the Quidditch match that day.

Sirius moved to the boys' dormitory steps soundlessly. He carefully opened and closed each door, trying to find Ron's and Harry's. Finally, Sirius found the room with Harry's Firebolt leaning against his trunk. Sirius's breath started to quicken as he stepped through the chunk of moonlight that fell through the window. Sirius walked to the bed that had the trunk at the base of it labeled "R.W." on it in pealing letters.

Sirius brought his knife up to the level of his eyes. He could practically _see _Peter standing right behind these curtains, with his wand out, ready to jump on Sirius and kill him. He tried to stifle his own breath; so that Peter wouldn't hear him… he was standing right there, Sirius knew it. So, without any further hesitation, Sirius just hacked at the bed hangings—slashing and ripping them. But Peter wasn't standing there.

There was however, a very terrified teenage boy who started to howl bloody-murder at the top of his lungs.

Shaken, Sirius made for the door. But in his hurry, he tripped over Ron's trunk corner. His leg stinging now, he stood up, infuriated with his stupidity for ruining the bed hangings.

"What's going on?" A boy mumbled from behind his curtains. Sirius ran for the door, knowing that Ron's scream would have woken the entire tower. He yanked open the door, and slammed it behind him. Changing back into a dog, Sirius tore out of the Gryffindor common room and down the halls. He used all the secret passages he knew from the Marauder's Map to get out as fast as possible. When he finally had grass beneath his feet, he didn't stop running until he was at the Whomping Willow.

_"What happened?" _It was Crookshanks, waiting at the base of the Willow.

_"I screwed it up… I screwed it all up… I didn't do it…"_

_"Was he even there?"_

_"I don't know—but you didn't exactly give me enough information!"_

_"Don't go blaming this on me. Get back to the Shrieking Shack. You've done enough damage for one night."_ Sirius took Crookshanks's advice and lumbered back to the Shack. Once there, he didn't move at all. He was afraid that now that he had actually shown his face inside Hogwarts, the Ministry would find him instantly.

He had ruined everything in his moment of stupidity. Why had he thought that Peter would be in his human-form, waiting for him?

Maybe it was just because that's how it happened every night in Sirius's nightmares. Sirius would be walking down some dark hallway, with nothing to defend him. Peter would suddenly jump out someplace—but he could disappear and reappear everywhere, but Sirius couldn't. Peter had too many advantages; it wasn't a fair fight.

But then again it never was.


	11. Finding Scabbers

**A/N: **_Hey everyone! My cousins from Canada are here—yay! We're going to Six Flags Amusement Park this Friday and I'm sooo excited! Yippy for fast rides! Anyways, here's the next chapter for ya, I hope you like it._

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**Chapter 11**

**Finding Scabbers**

The next five months were uneventful for Sirius. He spent most of his time lying low, for he knew that after his run-in with Ron, security at the castle would have increased ten-fold, and he didn't want to risk his freedom again.

 Sirius found himself thinking less about Peter and more about Belle as the months wore on. Sometimes, without his realizing it, he would start planning out what he would say the next time he saw her… what she would answer, and what he would say back. He wanted to see her again almost as much as he wanted to suffocate Peter until he squirmed. He decided that the first chance he got, he would go back to see her.

He also wanted to see Harry. Sure, he had _seen _Harry, but he wanted to talk to him and tell him everything. He also decided that he wanted Harry to move in with him… of course, if Harry _wanted_ to. It was a leap of faith just to ask him, but Sirius was willing to take the chance of being shot down just for the chance of raising his best friends' son.

When June came around, Sirius knew that if he didn't find Peter soon, he was going to miss his chance—again. Every night, even though Crookshanks had advised against it, Sirius came to Hogwarts to look around. He didn't go inside the castle—he left that to the cat—but waited outside for Crookshanks to report to him every so often.

He was starting to get worried that he would run out of time, as he watched from the edge of the forest as the students went through exam week at Hogwarts. But one evening, Sirius heard something that sparked his interest, and he knew he had to follow.

As he was stalking around in the woods behind Hagrid, the gamekeeper's, hut, Sirius heard some anxious whispers that caught his attention. Coming closer for a better view, he heard Harry, Ron and Hermione's voices along with Hagrid's in his house. It was odd; he hadn't thought he'd seen the three kids walking to Hagrid's house.

Suddenly, Sirius heard terrified squeaks coming from inside the hut, and Sirius smiled to himself. _Found you, Peter._

"Scabbers! Scabbers, what are you doing here?" Sirius heard Ron call, accompanied by more frantic squeaks.

Moments later, the backdoor opened and Hagrid was ushering nobody outside into his pumpkin patch, where a large sized hippogriff was sitting, looking uncomfortable.

"Hagrid, we can't—"

"We'll tell them what really happened—"

"They can't kill him—"

So the hippogriff was going to be killed? Sirius was confused, but he had to follow the invisible people—they had Peter, or Scabbers, or whoever.

Sirius realized with horror that the Minister of Magic was now just inside Hagrid's cabin with Dumbledore and Macnair and another old man Sirius had never seen before. He could hear their muffled voices reading off some official sounding document.

But suddenly, to Sirius's confusion, someone jumped out from behind the huge pumpkins and walked cautiously towards the hippogriff, careful not to break eye contact with the creature. The boy was too far away for Sirius to see who it was, but Sirius watched from the shadows of the forest with interest all the same. The boy muttered to the hippogriff, tugging on its rope anxiously.

"Well, let's get this over with. Hagrid, perhaps it would be better if you stay inside…" Said the old man gently from inside the cabin. Sirius was snapped back to the reality that the Minister was coming outside right now. However much Sirius wanted to watch what this crazy person was attempting, he knew he had to get out of here before the Minister saw him.

"No, I—I wan' ter be with him… I don wan' him ter be alone—"

The boy successfully pulled the hippogriff back around the pumpkins, and from there, Sirius assumed, into the trees.

Sirius really didn't want hear the Minister's reaction when he found out that this hippogriff had escaped, nor did he want to lose Peter, like it seemed he already had. Therefore, Sirius bounded away from Hagrid's cabin, where he heard the thunk of an axe into the ground.

Still sheltered by the trees, Sirius was trying to think fast of a way to get into the castle. He had to get Peter tonight, or Ron would take him home, and Sirius would have lost his chance for a whole year.

But then, out of nowhere, Ron appeared and started running after something in the grass. Sirius knew in an instant Ron was chasing after Peter. From a few feet away, Crookshanks ran out of the trees, hurtling himself at Ron and the rat.

"Get away from him—get away—Scabbers, come _here—"_ Ron shouted, but Crookshanks leapt on Ron, just as Ron lunged at Peter. _"Gotcha!_ Get off, you stinking cat—"

Harry and Hermione were running at full sprint after Ron and they slid to a stop right next to him. Harry was holding something shiny and silvery and Hermione was urging Ron to get under it, and Sirius pieced together that this must be James's invisibility cloak. But Sirius couldn't wait a second longer—if they went under that cloak, Sirius probably wouldn't be able to find them again. It was now or never.

He raced out of the trees, heading straight for the lump in Ron's pocket. But Harry jumped in the way, with his wand out. _Look out!  _Sirius landed messily right on Harry's chest, knocking him to the ground and leaving him winded. Sirius jumped around instantly, before they could curse him, and grabbed Ron by the arm.

Harry lunged at Sirius, pulling on his fur, fighting for his friend. But Sirius just kept yanking a struggling Ron towards the Whomping Willow. He had to get out of plain sight if he wanted to transform and kill Peter. Sirius easily dodged the whipping branches and Ron kept trying to claw the grass, trying to hold Sirius back.

Sirius pulled Ron down the tunnel, but Ron refused to go down without a fight. He hooked his leg on a root. Sirius gave a vicious tug, and there was a grisly crack and Sirius was afraid that he had broken Ron's leg.

But he couldn't stop—not now; he was too close. He continued to drag Ron, who was now whimpering, but still trying to grab onto anything he could.

"Harry! Hermione! Help!" He shouted.

"Please don't." Sirius said, quickly transforming at the trapdoor of the Shrieking Shack. "Do you still have the rat?"

"You're… you're _Sirius Black!"_ Ron cried.

"We have a genius on our hands!" Sirius said sarcastically, taking Ron's wand from him. But shaking his head when he saw Ron struggling to his feet, he added, "Come on, you should get off that leg…"

"Get away… don't…" Ron murmured. Sirius made to carry Ron, but he wouldn't let him. So, Sirius dragged a struggling Ron laboriously up the stairs, and into a deserted bedroom. Sirius heard someone downstairs and he knew it was Harry. Sirius moved into the shadows. Ron crawled towards the bed, intending to get as far away from Black-the-murderer as possible.

Through the door came Crookshanks, who leapt right over Ron and onto the grimy bed, where he sat purring.

"I knew you were bad from the start…" Ron muttered to the cat, clutching his leg.

"You don't know anything." Sirius answered softly.

"Ron—are you okay?" Hermione and Harry came dashing over to Ron, with Hermione in the lead.

"Where's the dog?" Harry asked.

"Not a dog." Ron groaned. "Harry, it's a trap—" Harry looked confused. "_He's the dog… he's an Animagus…"_

Harry turned suddenly, for Ron was staring at Sirius. Instantly, Sirius slammed the door with a creak.

"_Expelliarmus!"_ Sirius said, his voice cracking with sudden nerves. Harry and Hermione's wands came flying to him and he caught them with one hand. He was staring at Harry, longing to just tell him everything, but no words could come to mind. "I thought you'd come and help your friend. Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you, not to run for a teacher." Sirius chuckled slightly, thinking of Peter and how he was still quivering in Ron's pocket. "I'm grateful… it will make everything much easier…"

Harry was staring at him with fire in his eyes. It hurt Sirius to have him staring at him like that, but Harry didn't know any better…Without warning, Harry started for Sirius, his eyes glinting with hate.

"No, Harry!"

Ron was back on his feet, as he and Hermione grabbed Harry's arms and held him back. "If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!"

_Kill Harry… _Sirius felt like he had been hit with a ton of bricks. He would never…

Sirius was brought back to earth when he saw the color of Ron's face. He looked sick to his stomach. "Lie down," He said making to help Ron onto the bed. "You'll damage that leg even more."

"Did you hear me?" Ron cried. The only thing that was keeping him standing was Harry's shoulder. "You'll have to kill all three of us!"

Sirius's face broke into a smile. "There will only be one murder here tonight."

"Why's that?" Harry said angrily. He was struggling against Ron and Hermione again. "Didn't care last time, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew… what's the matter, gone soft in Azkaban?"

"Harry! Be quiet!" Hermione moaned.

"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" Harry shouted at the top of his lungs. Before Sirius knew what happened, Harry was attacking him, one hand holding down Sirius's hand with the three wands and his other was balled up in a fist, punching Sirius ferociously. Sirius's back hit the wall, and he undecidedly shot sparks towards Harry—but not at him… never _at_ him. Harry, however, wasn't going to give up, so, with no other choice, Sirius reached for Harry's throat.

"No… I've waited too long—" Sirius tightened his grip for a short instant, before Hermione came out of nowhere and kicked Sirius as hard as she could, while Ron leaped for the wands. Sirius lost grip of the wands and they clattered to the floor. Harry went after his own wand. But Crookshanks, knowing the whole story, jumped on it too.

"NO YOU DON'T!" Harry screamed at the cat, which moved, spitting at him. Sirius didn't move from the wall. "Get out of the way!" Harry said to Ron and Hermione, and they quickly moved back to the bed. Harry approached Sirius slowly, one livid step at a time. Sirius watched him, chest heaving. Harry lowered his wand to point right at Sirius's heart.

"Going to kill me, Harry?" Sirius asked him softly.

Every part of Sirius was aching, but not as much as it stung to see the hatred in Harry's face.

"You killed my parents."

Sirius was silent for a moment, as those four words sunk in. "I don't deny it," He barely whispered. "But if you knew the whole story."

"The whole story?" Harry repeated. He was infuriated again. "You sold them to Voldemort. That's all I need to know."

"You've got to listen to me. You'll regret it if you don't… You don't understand…" Sirius had to tell him—right now, before Harry killed him. He didn't doubt for a moment that Harry wouldn't do it.

"I understand a lot better than you think," Harry's voice was trembling terribly, but his anger was more than obvious. "You never heard her, did you? My mum… trying to stop Voldemort killing me… and you did that… you did it…"

Sirius felt on the verge of tears, suddenly. Harry heard Lily… and it _was_ his fault… _Harry, you're right, you're so right… I did it…_

Before Sirius could answer, or Harry could say anything else, Crookshanks flew by and stood on Sirius's chest, crouched low over Sirius's heart.

"Get off…" Sirius tried to push the stupid and impetuous cat off of him. He could handle this.

But Crookshanks wouldn't budge. Everything was as silent as the grave. Sirius could almost hear the thoughts whipping around in Harry's head… _Kill him… he killed your parents… he's a jerk, don't trust him… he's a murderer… a murderer…_

But downstairs, Sirius heard someone moving. He prayed it wasn't the Ministry. _Please be Dumbledore… Harry will listen to Dumbledore…_

"WE'RE UP HERE! WE'RE UP HERE—SIRIUS BLACK—_QUICK!"_ Hermione screamed.

Red sparks caused the door to fly open on Sirius's left. It was Remus Lupin. Sirius's first thought was, _Why is he here?_ But he could honestly care less… he was _here._

 Remus's eyes flew around the room, taking in the whole scene. Remus instantly shouted a disarming spell, and he caught all the wands with less grace than Sirius had. Sirius glanced at Harry, who was looking rather empty and then at Remus.

"Where is he, Sirius?" Remus asked him. Sirius's eyes brightened. Remus knew Peter was alive. Sirius slowly pointed to Ron's pocket. Harry and Hermione looked at Ron, who appeared terrified.

Remus was staring at Sirius. "But then… why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless—" Remus understood. He knew. Sirius was saved. "Unless _he _was the one… unless you switched… without telling me?"

Sirius nodded.

"Professor, what's going on—?" But Harry cut himself off, as Remus put out his hand and pulled Sirius to his feet. Sirius hugged Remus tightly; it felt so good to have his friend on his side again.


	12. Remus Explains It All

**A/N: **_I'm going on vacation tomorrow, so I wanted to give you all one last posting before I leave. I know, I know: you all hate me, how can I do this, it's so unfair, this chapter's a cliffhanger, what gives, right? Well, what can I say, except sorry! Sucks to be you! Haha, cuz I'm going to DISNEYLAND!_

_Oh, but, um…_

_I'll be back next Saturday, and I'll try to post the next bit then. Like I said, I'll TRY. Anywho, much love to you all, read and review!_

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**Chapter 12**

**Remus Explains It All**

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione shrieked. Remus released Sirius, and Hermione was pointing at Remus, looking distressed. "You—you…"

"Hermione—"

"—You and him!"

"Hermione, calm down—" Remus tried to reason.

"I didn't tell anyone! I've been covering up for you—"

"Hermione, listen to me, please! I can explain!" Remus yelled. Sirius was slightly surprised; Remus _never_ yelled.

"I trusted you," Harry shouted at Remus abruptly "and all the time you've been his friend!"

"You're wrong." Remus said. "I haven't been Sirius's friend," Sirius looked at him with a small glare, "but I am now—Let me explain…"

"NO!" Hermione screamed. "Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black into the castle, he wants you dead too—_he's a werewolf!"_

Silence followed this statement, and Remus's eyes fell to the floor. Sirius looked at him carefully. Once Remus had regained himself, he looked up at Hermione with calm eyes and a light voice.

"Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione. Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry dead…" He had the same look on his face that Sirius had when Ron reminded Sirius of why everyone but Remus thought he was here. "But I won't deny that I'm a werewolf."

Ron tried to get to his feet, and Remus went towards him as Ron fell back onto the bed. When Remus made to help Ron, he gasped, _"Get away from me, werewolf!"_

Remus stopped in his tracks, and Sirius knew what Ron said hurt him. But with remarkable calmness, Remus turned to Hermione. "How long have you known?"

"Ages," She murmured. "Since I did Professor Snape's essay…"

"He'll be delighted," Remus said unperturbedly, glancing at Sirius. "He assigned that essay hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant… Did you check the lunar chart and realize I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realize that the boggart changed into a full moon when it saw me?" He asked her.

"Both." She answered softly.

Remus gave the fakest laugh Sirius had ever heard. "You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione."

"I'm not," She said acidly. "If I'd been a bit cleverer, I'd have told everyone what you are!"

"But they already know. At least, the staff do."

"Dumbledore hired you when he knew you were a werewolf? Is he mad?" Ron blurted.

"Some of the staff thought so," Remus told him. "He had to work very hard to convince certain teachers that I'm trustworthy—"

"AND HE WAS WRONG!" Harry shouted. "YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL THE TIME!" He was pointing accusingly at Sirius again, shaking with anger. Sirius felt a wave of sadness wash over him again. He crossed to the moldy four-poster bed and sat upon it. Ron inched away from him, but Crookshanks hopped up next to him.

Sirius covered his face with his hands as Remus said, "I have _not _been helping Sirius. If you'll give me a chance, I'll explain. Look—" Remus tossed Harry, Ron, and Hermione their wands. "There. You're armed, we're not. Now will you listen?"

The three of them looked stunned and confused. Harry was the only one who could think of something to say.

"If you haven't been helping him, how did you know he was here?"

"The map… the Marauder's Map." Remus said simply. Sirius looked up at him. _The map is still at Hogwarts? _"I was in my office examining it—"

"You know how to work it?" Harry interrupted. Sirius tried not to laugh.

"Of course I know how to work it; I helped write it." Remus said with a small smile. "I'm Moony—that was my friends' name for me at school."

"You _wrote—_?"

"The important thing is," Remus tried to continue, "I was watching it carefully this evening, because I had an idea that you, Ron, and Hermione might try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn't I?" Remus started to do his characteristic pacing. "You might have been wearing your father's old cloak, Harry—"

"How d'you know about the cloak?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"The number of times I saw James disappearing under it…" Remus waved this aside. Sirius remembered all the times that Remus and Sirius, themselves, had disappeared under the cloak. "The point is, even if you're wearing an Invisibility Cloak, you still show up on the Marauder's Map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid, and set off back toward the castle. But you were accompanied by someone else."

"What? No, we weren't!" Harry exclaimed.

"I couldn't believe my eyes," Remus was ignoring Harry. "I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?"

"No one was with us!" Harry said hotly.

"And then I saw another dot, moving fast toward you, labeled _Sirius Black…_ I saw him collide with you; I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow—"

"One of us!"

"No, Ron. Two of you." Remus said coolly. He looked at Ron carefully, before adding, "Do you think I could have a look at the rat?"

"What? What's Scabbers got to do with it?" Ron asked almost fearfully.

"Everything," Remus said evenly. "Could I see him, please?"

Carefully, Ron reached into his pocket. Peter-the-rat was thrashing wildly in Ron's hands, squeaking and desperately trying to escape.

"What? What's my rat got to do with anything?" Ron repeated, struggling to hold on to Peter.

"That's not a rat." Sirius said. He was staring at Peter. There he was—right there…

"What d'you mean—of course he's a rat—"

"No, he's not. He's a wizard." Remus said in almost a whisper. He too was staring at Peter intently.

"An Animagus by the name of Peter Pettigrew." Sirius said, eyes never moving off the squirming rat. He could barely talk.

Silence followed. The three students' eyebrows rose as one as they looked at Remus and Sirius.

"You're both mental." Ron said finally.

"Ridiculous!" Hermione whispered.

"Peter Pettigrew's _dead!_" Harry said angrily. "_He _killed him twelve years ago!" Sirius closed his eyes for a moment.

"I meant to," Sirius said as calmly as he could manage, for his temper was starting to flare up again, "but little Peter got the better of me… not this time, though!"

Without realizing what he had done, Sirius lunged at Ron's hands.

"Sirius, NO!" Remus shouted, as Sirius landed with a thud on Ron's broken leg. Ron let out a moan, and Remus dragged Sirius off of him. "WAIT! You can't do it just like that—they need to understand—we've got to explain—"

"We can explain afterwards!" Sirius exclaimed, reaching for Peter again, more desperately.

But Remus was holding him back, struggling to keep him away from his prey, saying, "They've—got—a—right—to—know—everything!" Sirius struggled harder. They could wait two seconds to hear the truth—Sirius had waited twelve years! It was his turn…

"Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand!" Remus tried to push Sirius away, but Sirius point-blank refused to give up. Finally, Remus said the one thing he knew would calm Sirius down: "And Harry—you owe Harry the truth, Sirius!" Sirius stopped mid-reach. He stared at Peter hatefully, but didn't move toward him.

"All right, then." Sirius said at last. "Tell them whatever you like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for…" He never realized how much he wanted to do this. He wanted to kill Peter now, why did Remus want to wait around? If they didn't do it soon, Peter would escape again…

"You're nutters," Ron decided, "both of you." He struggled to get to his feet and looked at Harry and Hermione. "I've had enough of this. I'm off."

"You're going to hear me out, Ron." Remus said, pulling out his wand, and pointing it at Peter. "Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen."

"HE'S NOT PETER, HE'S SCABBERS!" Ron shouted, as he tried to jam Peter back into his pocket. Ron swayed dangerously, but Harry caught him and helped him back onto the bed. Then Harry turned to Remus.

"There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die. A whole street full of them…"

"They didn't see what they thought they saw!" Sirius said furiously. His eyes never left Peter. _You're dead, Peter… and you know it too…_

"Everyone thought that Sirius killed Peter." Remus agreed. "I believed it myself—until I saw the map tonight. Because the Marauder's Map never lies… Peter's alive. Ron's holding him, Harry."

Harry's eyes fell on Ron. But he still looked disbelieving.

"But Professor Lupin… Scabbers can't be Pettigrew… it just can't be true, you know it can't…" Hermione was talking to him as calmly as she could manage; though it was obvious she thought they were crazy.

"Why can't it be true?" Remus asked her.

"Because… because people would _know _if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework—the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things… and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there's only been seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list—"

Sirius was slightly surprised at the extent that Hermione went to on her homework, when Remus began to chuckle.

"Right again, Hermione! But the Ministry never knew that there used to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts."

"If you're going to tell them the story, get a move on, Remus." Sirius interrupted gruffly. "I've waited twelve years, I'm not going to wait much longer."

"All right… but you'll need to help me, Sirius. I only know how it began…" He stopped himself when everyone heard the door creak open by itself. Remus left the room but came back almost instantly. "No one there…"

"This place is haunted!" Ron cried stupidly.

"It's not," Remus said, still looking at the door. "The Shrieking Shack was never haunted… the screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me." He paused, and took a deep breath, pushing his premature gray hair out of his eyes. "That's where all this starts—with my becoming a werewolf. None of this could have happened if I hadn't been bitten… and if I hadn't been so foolhardy…" Remus looked tired suddenly, but he continued before Ron could interrupt.

"I was a very small boy when I received the bite. My parents tried everything, but in those days there was no cure. The potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform… I am able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again.

"Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, however, I became a fully fledged monster once a month. It seemed impossible that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. Other parents weren't likely to want their children exposed to me.

"But then Dumbledore said that as long as we took certain precautions, there was not reason I shouldn't come to school…" Remus looked at Harry and said, "I told you, months ago, that the Whomping Willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts. The truth is that it was planted _because _I came to Hogwarts. This house, the tunnel that leads to it—they were built for my use. Once a month, I was smuggled out of the castle, into this place, to transform. The tree was placed at the tunnel mouth to stop anyone coming across me while I was dangerous."

Sirius looked at everyone's faces. Harry looked confused, but he was listening with all his might, just the same. Hermione seemed thoroughly involved in the story, while Ron still looked plain angry. He was holding Peter as tight as he could with his bleeding fingers.

"My transformations in those days were—were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumor… Even now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers don't dare approach it…

"But apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever, I had friends, three great friends. Sirius Black…" Remus looked at Sirius with a smile, "Peter Pettigrew… and, of course, your father, Harry—James Potter.

"Now, my three friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories. I told them my mother was ill, and that I had to go home and see her… I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they, like you, Hermione, worked out the truth…

"And they didn't desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi."

"My dad too?" Harry asked suddenly.

"Yes, indeed." Remus replied with a smile. "It took them the best part of three years to work out how to do it. Your father and Sirius here were the cleverest students in the school, and lucky they were, because the Animagus transformation can go horribly wrong—one reason the Ministry keeps a close watch on all those attempting to do it. Peter needed all the help he could get from James and Sirius. Finally, in our fifth year, they managed it. They could each turn into a different animal at will."

"But how did that help you?" Hermione asked. She seemed both impressed and confused all at once.

"They couldn't keep me company as humans, so they could kept me company as animals. A werewolf is only a danger to people. They sneaked out of the castle every month under James's Invisibility Cloak. They transformed… Peter, as the smallest, could slip beneath the Willow's attaching branches and touch the knot that freezes it. they would then slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them."

"Hurry up, Remus." Sirius said anxiously. He was sick of all this waiting. He had lived this story, and he didn't need to be reminded of how Peter used to be one of his best friends right before he was going to murder him.

"I'm getting there, Sirius, I'm getting there… well, highly exciting possibilities were open to us now that we could all transform. Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming around the school grounds and the village by night."

_My idea, _thought Sirius vaguely.

"Sirius and James transformed into such large animals, they were able to keep a werewolf in check. I doubt whether any Hogwarts student ever found out more about Hogwarts than we did… And that's how we came to write the Marauder's Map, and sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. James was Prongs."

"What sort of animal--?" Harry began, but Hermione interrupted him.

"That was still really dangerous! Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?"

"A thought that still haunts me," Remus whispered. Sirius looked at the floor guiltily. "And there were near misses, many of them. We laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless—carried away with our own cleverness.

"I sometimes felt guilty about betraying Dumbledore's trust, of course… he had admitted me to Hogwarts when no other headmaster would have done so, and he had no idea I was breaking the rules he had set for my own and others' safety. He never knew I had led three fellow students into becoming Animagi illegally. But I always managed to forget my guilty feelings every time we sat down to plan our next month's adventure. And I haven't changed…"

Sirius stared at Remus. He had never told them this… he had never said that he felt bad about the Marauders becoming Animagi. Remus seemed disgusted with himself, and Sirius couldn't see why…

"All this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering whether I should tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animagus. But I didn't do it. Why? Because I was too cowardly. It would have meant admitting that I'd betrayed his trust while I was at school, admitting that I'd led others alone with me… and Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me. He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am. And so I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the school using dark arts he learned from Voldemort, that being an Animagus had nothing to do with it… so, in a way, Snape's been right about me all along."

"Snape?" Sirius blurted. He never realized that Remus had gone through all this, and if Snape was making it worse… "What's Snape got to do with it?"

"He's here, Sirius. He's teaching here as well." Remus told him. Sirius's eyes widened. Remus looked to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to Defense Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I'm not to be trusted. He has his reasons… you see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me—"

Sirius snorted. "It served him right. Sneaking around, trying to find out what we were up to… hoping he could get us expelled…"

"Severus was very interested in where I went every month." Remus said. "We were in the same year, you know, and we—er—didn't like each other very much. He especially disliked James. Jealous, I think, of James's talent on the Quidditch field…" Sirius tried not to laugh again. "Anyway Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me toward the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be—er—amusing, to tell Snape all he had to do was poke the knot on the tree trunk with a long stick, and he'd be able to get in after me. Well, of course, Snape tried it—if he'd got as far as this house, he'd have met a fully-grown werewolf—but your father, who'd heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life… Snape glimpsed me though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden by Dumbledore to tell anybody, but from that time on he knew what I was…"

"So that's why Snape doesn't like you, because he thought you were in on the joke?" Harry asked.

"That's right." A cold, angry voice came from the wall behind Remus, and Severus Snape whipped of James's Invisibility Cloak, with his wand pointed at Remus's chest.


	13. The Servant of Lord Voldemort

**A/N:**_ Well, I'm back from my trip, so for being patient, here's Lucky Chapter Thirteen. And take your time enjoying it—I'm going away for another week starting Sunday. Much love, as always._

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**Chapter 13**

**The Servant of Lord Voldemort**

Sirius jumped to his feet, as Hermione screamed in surprise.

"I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," Snape sneered, as he tossed an Invisibility Cloak to the floor. "Very useful, Potter, I thank you…" Snape looked as though he had won some sort of long-distance race, he looked so pleased with himself. It made Sirius sick to see his ugly face again.

"You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?" Snape suggested to everyone, though no one answered. "I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along. And very lucky I did… lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight."

"Severus—" Remus started, but Snape cut him off.

"I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout—"

"Severus, you're making a mistake. You haven't heard everything—" Remus said urgently. He was watching Snape's wand carefully. "I can explain—Sirius is not here to kill Harry—"

"Two more for Azkaban tonight." Snape grinned his sickening smile, his eyes moving from Sirius to Remus with a chilling and mocking gleam. "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this… He was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin… a _tame _werewolf—"

"You fool." Remus said quietly and derisively. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?" He motioned to Sirius, who was glaring at Snape with all his might.

Instantly, snake-like cords flew out of Snape's wand and wrapped themselves tightly around Remus's hands, legs, and mouth. He toppled to the floor as Sirius lunged at Snape, ready to clobber him.

But Snape pointed his wand right between Sirius's eyes and muttered threateningly, "Give me a reason. Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will."

Sirius stopped dead, but didn't move at first. Snape deserved to die—why wouldn't he just listen to what really happened? Certainly, Sirius had made some mistakes in the past, but that didn't mean he deserved to go back to prison.

After a long moment of silence, while Sirius was staring down Snape, Hermione spoke up softly. "Professor Snape—it—it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, w-would it?"

"Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school," Snape said stepping back from Sirius to look at her. "You, Potter, and Weasley are out-of-bounds, in the company of a convicted murderer and a werewolf. For once in your life, _hold your tongue."_

"But if—if there was a mistake—" She continued feebly.

"KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GRIL!" Snape screamed at her. "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Some sparks shot out of Snape's wand that was still aimed at Sirius's face. He ducked, clutching his face, which now burned painfully. "Oh, vengeance is very sweet." Snape grabbed Sirius by the front of his robes, so that Sirius could smell Snape's sour breath as he whispered, "How I had hoped I'd be the one to catch you…"

"The joke's on you again, Severus," Sirius growled. "As long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle, I'll come quietly…" He said, glancing at Peter again.

"Up to the castle?" Snape sounded slightly surprised. His wand was still pointing at Sirius, and he gave Sirius a jerk by his robes. "I don't think we need to go that far. All I have to do is call the dementors once we get out of the willow. They'll be very pleased to see you, Black… pleased enough to give you a little _kiss, _I daresay…"

The dementors.

He was a dead-man. Worse—a soulless man.

"You—you've got to hear me out," He said urgently, as Snape dropped Sirius to the floor in a heap. "The rat—look at the rat—"

Snape smiled wildly. "Come on, all of you," he said, and with a snap of his fingers, the ends of Remus's binds flew up to Snape's hands. "I'll drag the werewolf. Perhaps the dementors will have a kiss for him too—"

But Harry had stepped between Snape and the door. Sirius looked at Harry proudly.

"Get out of the way, Potter, you're in enough trouble already." Snape snarled. "If I hadn't been here to save your skin—"

"Professor Lupin could have killed me about a hundred times this year," Harry defended, refusing to move. "I've been alone with him loads of times, having defense lessons against the dementors. If he was helping Black, why didn't he just finish me off then?"

"Don't ask me to fathom the way a werewolf's mind works. Get out of the way, Potter." Snape said menacingly.

"YOU'RE PATHETIC!" Harry shouted at him, and Sirius's pride tripled. "JUST BECAUSE THEY MADE A FOOL OF YOU IN SCHOOL YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN—"

"SILENCE! I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT!" Snape yelled back. He looked angrier than Sirius had ever seen him in school. "Like father, like son, Potter! I have just saved your neck; you should be thanking me on bended knee! You would have been well served if he'd killed you too! You'd have died like your father, too arrogant to believe you might be mistaken in Black—now get out of the way, or I will _make you_. GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

Right away, Harry, Ron, and Hermione all shouted, "_Expelliarmus!" _and Snape flew to the opposite wall. He hit it with shocking force, and slid down, unconscious.

"You shouldn't have done that…" Sirius said, looking away from Snape's body to view Harry. "You should have left him to me…" But Harry was avoiding Sirius's gaze.

"We attacked a teacher… We attacked a teacher… Oh, we're going to be in so much trouble—" Hermione murmured nervously, her eyes not leaving Snape.

Sirius glanced down at Remus, who was struggling against his binds. He bent down instantly, and started to untangle the ropes until Remus was free.

"Thank you, Harry." Remus said, rubbing his wrists.

"I'm still not saying I believe you."

"Then it's time we offered you some proof." Remus said, looking at Ron. "You, boy—give me Peter, please." Ron looked at him like he was delusional. "Now."

"Come off it. Are you trying to say he broke out of Azkaban just to get his hands on _Scabbers?_ I mean…" He looked to his friends. "Okay, say Pettigrew could turn into a rat—there are millions of rats—how's he supposed to know which one he's after if he was locked up in Azkaban?"

"You know, Sirius, that's a fair question." Remus looked at Sirius intently. "How _did_ you find out where he was?"

Sirius gulped slightly, and reached into his robes. He pulled out the newspaper clipping of the Weasleys on vacation, and smoothed it out, looking at it carefully. With a deep breath, he turned around the picture to face the others.

"How did you get this?" Remus asked him, astounded.

So Sirius told them. "…And the caption said the boy would be going back to Hogwarts… to where Harry was…"

"My God," Remus breathed, looking closer at the picture. "His front paw…" He looked back at Peter, and then at the Peter in the picture.

"What about it?" Ron asked. He sounded put off again.

"He's got a toe missing." Sirius said calmly.

"Of course. So simple… so _brilliant_… he cut it off himself?" Remus asked Sirius.

"Just before he transformed," Sirius replied. "When I got to him, he yelled for the whole street how I'd betrayed Lily and James. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street, killed everyone within twenty feet of himself—and sped down into the sewer with the other rats…"

"Didn't you ever hear, Ron?" Remus said. "The biggest bit of Peter they found was his finger."

"Look, Scabbers probably had a fight with another rat or something!" But now Ron was just in denial. This was getting ridiculous. "He's been in my family for ages, right—"

"Twelve years, in fact." Remus said softly. "Didn't you ever wonder why he was living so long?"

"We—we've been taking good care of him!" Ron shouted.

"Not looking too good at the moment, though, is he? I'd guess he's been losing weight ever since he heard Sirius was on the loose again…" He glanced at Sirius.

"He's been scared of that mad cat!" Ron cried, nodding at Crookshanks, who hadn't moved off the bed during everything. Sirius smiled at Crookshanks.

"That cat isn't mad." He reached out and stroked the cat. "He's the most intelligent of his kind I've ever met. He recognized Peter for what he was right away. And when he met me, he knew I was no dog. He's been helping me…"

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, looking at Crookshanks almost disgustedly.

"He tried to bring Peter to me, but couldn't… so he stole the passwords into Gryffindor Tower for me… As I understand it, he took them from a boy's bedside table…" Sirius scratched Crookshanks behind the ears. "But Peter got wind of what was going on and ran for it… Well, faking his own death had worked once…"

But Harry was suddenly outraged. "And why did he fake his death? Because he knew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents!" He shouted at Sirius. Sirius took a step back.

"No." Remus jumped in. "Harry—"

"And now you've come to finish him off!"

"Yes, I have." Sirius said, glaring at Peter. Harry could hate him if he wanted, but Sirius was going to get revenge.

"Then I should've let Snape take you!" Harry yelled, his voice cracking.

"Harry, don't you see?" Remus said hurriedly. "All this time we've thought that Sirius betrayed your parents, and Peter tracked him down—but it was the other way around, don't you see? _Peter_ betrayed your mother and father—Sirius tracked _Peter_ down—"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE! HE WAS THEIR SECRET-KEEPER! HE SAID SO BEFORE YOU TURNED UP. HE SAID HE KILLED THEM!" Harry roared. His finger was trembling with hate as he pointed accusingly at Sirius.

"Harry…" Sirius suddenly found it hard to speak. "I as good as killed them. I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as the Secret-Keeper instead of me…" He _was _a murderer, there was no getting around it, anymore. "I'm to blame, I know it… The night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter to make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his place, he'd gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. I was scared. I set out for your parents' house right away. And when I saw their house, destroyed, and their bodies…" Sirius trailed off, as the image of James dead by the sofa flashed through his mind again. He shook it aside; he was too close… "I realized what Peter must've done… what I'd done…"

Sirius broke off. He couldn't do this—he couldn't face Harry. He turned his back to them and closed his eyes. This wasn't supposed to be this difficult. All he wanted was Peter… he didn't want to be forced to remember Harry crying and alone in his crib, with Lily, dead, on the floor…

"Enough of this." Remus said, his voice hard. "There's one certain way to prove what really happened. Ron, _give me that rat."_

"What are you going to do with him if I give him to you?" Ron asked edgily.

"Force him to show himself. If he really is a rat, it won't hurt him." Remus explained. Sirius reached over and got Snape's wand from where it had landed on the bed. He turned to face everyone again.

"Ready, Sirius?" Remus asked. He was holding a wriggling Peter tightly. Just looking at him made Sirius's temper flare. Peter was going to die—he was moments away. _Enjoy them while you can, Wormtail…_

"Together?" Sirius said, trying to keep his voice indifferent.

"I think so," Remus said, and the two friends lowered their wands. "On the count of three. One—two—THREE!"

A blue-white light burst out of their wands and hit Peter with visible force. The rat twisted, hanging in midair. A huge light emerged from the rat, and suddenly, Peter-the-man was standing in the place where Scabbers had been. His eyes were darting around the room madly, and Sirius was glaring at him with more hate than he had for Snape.

"Well, hello, Peter." Remus said naturally. "Long time no see."

"S-Sirius… R-Remus…" Peter squeaked. Sirius saw his eyes fly to the door. "My friends… my old friends…"

Sirius shook his head and tried not to laugh, as he raised Snape's wand. He was ready; his time had come at last—

But Remus looked at him warningly, and Sirius lowered his hand reluctantly.

"We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened the night Lily and James died." Remus said casually. "You might have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around down there on the bed—" He looked at Sirius, and they chuckled.

"Remus, you don't believe him, do you…? He tried to kill me, Remus…" Peter said desperately, beads of sweat covering his face.

"So we've heard." Remus said callously. "I'd like to clear up one or two little matters with you, Peter, if you'd be so—"

"He's come to try and kill me!" Peter cried, pointing at Sirius with his middle finger, as his index was missing. Sirius raised an eyebrow. "He killed Lily and James and now he's going to kill me too… You've got to help me, Remus…"

"No one's going to try and kill you until we've sorted a few things out." Remus said, faking a comforting voice.

"S-sorted things out?" Peter gasped. Sirius watched his eyes move over the boarded up windows and then back to the door. "I knew he'd come after me! I knew he'd be back for me! I've been waiting for this for twelve years!"

"You knew Sirius was going to break out of Azkaban? When nobody has before?" Remus asked him, trying to sound confused.

"He's got dark powers the rest of us can only dream of!" Peter cried out shrilly. "How else did he get out of there? I suppose He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named taught him a few tricks!"

Oh, that was too much. Sirius started to laugh. "Voldemort, teach me tricks?" He repeated. That was rich… But Peter flinched hugely when he heard Sirius say His name. "What, scared to hear your old master's name? I don't blame you, Pete. His lot aren't very happy with you, are they?"

"Don't know what you mean, Sirius—" Peter tried to act puzzled, but his sweating brow gave him away.

Sirius shook his head again. "You haven't been hiding from _me_ for twelve years. You've been hiding from Voldemort's old supporters. I heard things in Azkaban, Peter… They all think you're dead, or you'd have to answer to them… I've heard them screaming all sorts of things in their sleep. Sounds like they think the double-crosser double-crossed them." He was exaggerating of course, but it was working. Peter's sweating doubled, if that was humanly possible. But then again, Peter wasn't human enough for that saying to apply… "Voldemort went to the Potters' on your information… and Voldemort met his downfall there. And not all Voldemort's supporters ended up in Azkaban, did they? There are still plenty out here, biding their time, pretending they've seen the error of their ways… If they ever got wind that you were still alive, Peter—"

"Don't know… what you're talking about…" Peter said, but he was shivering. He looked at Remus for support. "You don't believe this—this madness, Remus—"

"I must admit, Peter, I have difficulty understanding why an innocent man would want to spend twelve years as a rat." Remus shrugged.

"Innocent but scared!" Peter exclaimed. "If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put one of their best men in Azkaban—the spy, Sirius Black!"

That was it.

"How dare you!" Sirius snarled. "I, a spy for Voldemort? When did _I_ ever sneak around people who were stronger and more powerful than myself? But you, Peter—I'll never understand why I didn't see you were the spy from the start." Sirius was clutching his hands in fists so tight, his knuckles cracked. "You always liked big friends who'd look after you, didn't you? It used to be us… me and Remus… and James…" Sirius shook his head in disgust.

"Me, a spy? You must be out of your mind… never… don't know how you can say such a—"

"Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it." Sirius said wrathfully and Peter took a step back. "I thought it was the perfect plan… a bluff…" Sirius said, turning to pace a step or two. "Voldemort would be sure to come after me, would never dream they'd use a weak, talentless thing like you…" Sirius spat at Peter. He looked at Wormtail, biting back tears that were already burning his eyes. "It must have been the finest moment of your _miserable_ life, telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters."

Peter started muttering to himself… but Sirius could care less. This was the man who had betrayed his best friends… and Peter dared to _lie_ about it to Sirius and Remus's faces? He dared to call _Sirius_ the spy?

"Professor Lupin?" Hermione ventured. "Can—can I say something?"

"Certainly, Hermione."

"Well—Scabbers—I mean, this—this man—he's been sleeping in Harry's dormitory for three years. If he's working for You-Know-Who, how come he never tried to hurt Harry before now?"

"There!" Peter squeaked. "Thank you! Do you see, Remus? I have never hurt a hair on Harry's head! Why should I?"

"I'll tell you why." Sirius growled. "Because you never did anything for anyone unless you could see what was in it for you. Voldemort's been in hiding for fifteen years, they say he's half-dead. You weren't about to commit murder right under Albus Dumbledore's nose, for a wreck of a wizard who'd lost all of his power, were you? You'd want to be sure that he was the biggest bully in the playground before you went back to him, wouldn't you?" Sirius looked at him expectantly, but Peter refused to look at him. "Why else did you find a wizarding family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for news, weren't you, Peter? Just in case your dear old protector regained strength, and it was safe to rejoin him…"

Peter opened and closed his mouth, looking like a fish, before Hermione interrupted again.

"Er—Mr. Black—Sirius?"

Sirius stared at her, surprised that she would even address him… let alone call him Mr. Black.

"If you don't mind me asking, how—how did you get out of Azkaban, if you didn't use Dark Magic?" Hermione asked him, looking a little frightened.

"Thank you! Exactly! Precisely what I—" Peter started, but Remus shut him up with one of his classic looks.

"I don't know how I did it," Sirius said softly. But he did his best to explain it—everything from when he found the newspaper article to the escape, to the adventures around Hogwarts—everything except his visit with Belle.

When he had finished, he looked at Harry, who finally didn't look away. "Believe me." Sirius begged. "Believe me, Harry. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them."

Harry was staring in Sirius's eyes, and Sirius could swear he saw something click into place. And Harry nodded.

"NO!" Peter screamed, and he fell to his knees. He crawled towards Sirius, begging and pleading. "Sirius—It's me… it's Peter… your friend… you wouldn't…"

But Sirius just kicked Peter away. "There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them."

"Remus!" With one down, Peter crawled desperately at Remus. "You don't believe this… wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?"

"Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter." Remus glared down at Peter, but then looked up at Sirius and asked casually, "I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?"

"Forgive me, Remus." Sirius said with a small grin.

"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend." Remus nodded courteously. He started to roll up his sleeves, and Sirius did the same. "And will you, in turn, forgive me for thinking you were the spy?"

"Of course. Shall we kill him together?"

"Yes, I think so." Remus said, looking down at Peter grimly.

"You wouldn't… you won't…" Peter said shrilly. He whirled around and scrambled for someone to save him. "Ron… haven't I been a good friend… a good pet? You won't let them kill me, Ron, will you… you're on my side, aren't you?"

"I let you sleep in my _bed!"_ Ron shouted at Peter.

"Kind boy… kind master…" Peter grabbed at Ron's robes. "You won't let them do it… I was your rat… I was a good pet…"

"If you made a better rat than a human, it's not much to boast about, Peter." Sirius said starkly. A very pale Ron pulled his robes out of Peter's claw-like hands.

Peter was running out of options. He turned to Hermione and seized the hem of her robes. "Sweet girl… clever girl… you—you won't let them… Help me…" But Hermione couldn't even speak. She backed up to the wall looking at Peter with a quiver. Slowly, Peter turned his head to Harry, his last chance.

"Harry… Harry… you look just like your father… just like him…"

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY?" Sirius roared, his whole body tense with anger. "HOW DARE YOU FACE HIM? HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM?"

"Harry," Peter breathed shrilly, shuffling towards him on his knees. "Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed… James would have understood, Harry… he would have shone me mercy…"

Remus and Sirius marched up to Peter at the same time. They grabbed Peter's shoulders and threw him back on the floor. Peter looked up at Sirius, quivering like the cowardly rat he was.

"You sold Lily and James to Voldemort." Sirius said, feeling his own body shudder. "Do you deny it?"

Peter burst into a set of the fakest sobs Sirius had ever had to witness in his entire life. "Sirius, Sirius, what could I have done? The Dark Lord… you have no idea… he has weapons you can't imagine… I was scared, Sirius, I was never brave like you and Remus and James. I never meant it to happen… He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named forced me—"

"DON'T LIE!" Sirius shouted, shaking even more. "YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A _YEAR_ BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!"

"He—He was taking over everywhere!" Peter cried out. "Wh-what was there to be gained by refusing him?"

Sirius couldn't even answer him at first. What kind of a stupid question was that?

"What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed? Only innocent lives, Peter!"

"You don't understand!" Peter said immediately. "He would have killed me, Sirius!"

"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" Sirius screamed down at him. "DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!" Sirius was shaking violently, more angry than he had ever been in his life. How could Peter talk like this? Was he insane?

Remus quietly put a hand on Sirius's shoulder, in hopes of calming him down.

"You should have realized," Remus said, so he was barely audible, "if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Goodbye, Peter."

"NO!" Harry ran forward out of nowhere, and put himself in front of Sirius and Remus's wands. _What are you doing, Harry? _"You can't kill him… you can't."

Sirius stared at him. What was he thinking?

"Harry," Sirius said softly, "this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents. This cringing bit of filth would have seen you die too, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family."

"I know." Harry was breathing heavily. "We'll take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the dementors… He can go to Azkaban…but don't kill him."

"Harry!" Peter exclaimed, hugging Harry's knees. "You—thank you—it's more than I deserve—thank you—"

"Get off me." Harry said coldly, kicking Peter's hands away from him. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because—I don't reckon my dad would've wanted them to become killers—just for you."

Sirius and Remus exchanged a look. Maybe _Harry_ was the insane one…?

"You're the only person who has the right to decide, Harry." Sirius said to him. Everything inside of him was begging Harry to change his mind. "But think…" _please, I've waited so long… he deserves to die… _"Think what he did…" _He killed your parents, and my best friends… he turned to Voldemort, just because he could… He was a spy; he ruined your life _and_ mine…_

"He can go to Azkaban. If anyone deserves that place, he does…" Harry said finally.

"Very well." Remus sighed. "Stand aside, Harry." But Harry didn't move at first. "I'm going to tie him up—that's all, I swear."

So Harry moved out of the way, and chords shot out of Remus's wand and Peter was instantly bound and gagged.

Sirius bent down so he was right next to Peter's face. "But if you transform, Peter," he pointed his wand right in Peter's face, "we _will_ kill you. You agree, Harry?" He looked up at his godson, who nodded visibly.

"Right," Remus said, using his business voice. "Ron, I can't mend bones nearly as well as Madam Pomfrey, so I think it's best if we just strap your leg up until we can get you to the hospital wing." He walked over to Ron, but Sirius didn't take his eyes off Peter. He heard Remus fixing Ron's leg, but they seemed so far away. Peter may have escaped from his wrath, but the dementors would be worse, he decided.

Sirius looked up, and saw that Harry was staring at him, watching him carefully. When their eyes met, Harry looked away quickly to watch as Remus and Hermione inspected Snape.

Remus cast another spell so that the unconscious Snape could float along behind them. They were ready to go.

"And two of us should be chained to this." Sirius said, kicking Peter with his toe. "Just to be sure."

"I'll do it." Remus said, walking over to Peter.

"And me." Ron said, limping forward.

Sirius did the honors of conjuring heavy manacles out of thin air and strapping them to Ron's arm, Remus's arm and Peter's two arms.

Crookshanks hopped off the bed at last, and led the way out of the drafty room looking pleased.


	14. The Dementors

**A/N:**_ Hey! I'm back from our family cabin in Lassen! It was lots of fun. I'm really glad that you all like the story. I was actually considering doing a sequel and a… three-quel? Yeah. We'll see how the last chapters of this one does first._

**Chapter 14**

**The Dementors**

Walking down the tunnel was much more difficult, Sirius realized, when he wasn't a dog. Sirius was directing Snape, and occasionally bumping Snape's head on the low ceiling purposefully.

Peter was going to Azkaban at last, and Sirius was going to be a free man the moment that they entered the castle. He was free and—

"You know what this means?" Sirius asked Harry, as though Harry had heard all of Sirius's previous thoughts. "Turning Pettigrew in?"

"You're free." Said Harry.

"Yes… But I'm also—" Sirius broke off. "I don't know if anyone told you—I'm your godfather." Sirius turned back to Snape's lolling body; just to escape from the awkward silence he was afraid would follow.

"Yeah, I knew that." Harry said right away.

"Well…" Sirius continued, surprised that Harry wasn't shunning him, "your parents appointed me guardian, if anything happened to them…" Sirius wasn't even sure where he was going with this, but he wanted Harry to move in with him… he wanted to be the father Harry never had. "I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle. But… well… think about it. Once my name's cleared… if you wanted a… a different home…"

"What—live with you?" Harry asked, and Sirius heard a crack as Harry hit his head on the ceiling in shock. "Leave the Dursleys?"

Sirius recovered immediately, "Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to…" Sirius felt his face starting to burn. Why was this so embarrassing? "I understand, I just thought I'd—"

"Are you insane?" Harry sounded thoroughly excited. "Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"

Sirius stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Harry. There was a wild sort of smile on his face and he was looking at Sirius expectantly.

"You want to? You mean it?"

"Yeah I mean it!" Harry grinned.

Sirius smiled back at him, truthfully happy for the first time… in a long time. Harry _wanted_ to live with him—he was going to be free… and Harry wanted to live with him…!

They didn't talk again until after they had exited the Willow. Up ahead, Sirius could hear Remus muttering to Peter, as they started out towards the castle. The grounds were dark, until a cloud shifted and moonlight fell onto the grass. Sirius looked up, and saw the full moon peeking out from behind the clouds…

Full moon.

Remus.

Sirius flung out an arm to stop Harry and Hermione from getting any closer. Remus went rigid, and he started to tremble.

"Oh, my—he didn't take his potion tonight! He's not safe!" Hermione breathed.

"Run." Sirius told Harry and Hermione. "Run. Now."

But Harry had his eyes on Ron, who was still chained to Remus and Peter. Harry made to move towards his friend, but Sirius caught him and threw him back. "Leave it to me—RUN!"

Remus started to snarl, and his head and body were lengthening into a wolf's. Hair was covering his face and hands, which were rapidly turning into clawed paws.

Sirius glanced over at Crookshanks, who was spitting madly.

Sirius left Harry and Hermione and transformed into a dog. Remus broke his part of the manacles and he started to growl deeply at Ron and Peter, who were cowering in the grass. His eyes flashed dangerously.

Sirius bounded forward, and grabbed Remus around the neck with his mouth and started to pull him away from Ron. Snarling, Sirius pulled and Remus pushed back. His teeth were bared, and he didn't seem to recognize even Padfoot.

From a few paces away, he could hear bangs, and screams, and he inwardly prayed that they were all right. Sirius slashed at Remus, anything to get him to go away. Remus sliced his claws across Sirius's face, and Sirius fell to the grass.

_Come on, Remus… get out of here…_

Remus howled, and Sirius sprung back to his feet, ready to fight again, growling menacingly. But Remus had decided to leave, and the werewolf tore off towards the Forbidden Forest.

"Sirius, he's gone, Pettigrew transformed!" Sirius heard Harry yelling. Sirius looked up at him, blinking blood out of his puppy-dog eyes and took off at a run.

_Damn it, Peter, you will not get away this time… I've chased after you too long…_ Sirius's big paws thundered on the grassy ground as he hurtled after the skittering movements ahead of him. This time he would win, for certain.

Peter was leading him towards the lake, and Sirius followed willingly. But when Sirius reached the edge of the sparkling lake, Peter was nowhere in sight.

But there were at least 100 dementors.

They circled in around him, all their breaths rattling, sucking in everything from the warm summer air, leaving Sirius as cold as winter. Sirius transformed back into a man, but stayed where he was, physically unable to move, or breath, or do anything. There were so many of them… never were there this many in Azkaban.

"_Nooo… noooo… please…"_ Sirius barely whispered. Everything was covered with a misty fog that was enveloping Sirius's body and mind. Everything was going dark… so dark…

Sirius could hear Harry and Hermione running towards him. They stood right next to him, both with their wands out protectively. He heard Harry shout something, but he couldn't tell if it was to Hermione or himself… Sirius could hardly keep conscious much longer… but he had to keep it together… Harry was chanting something, so subconsciously, Sirius started to chant too… _be strong for your godson… be strong for your godson_…_be strong for…_ but he couldn't do it. He gave a huge shudder, and he fell to the ground, cold and lifeless.


	15. Buckbeak and Dumbledore

**A/N: **_Hey! Here's another chapter for you, cuz I'm nice… Just kidding, anyway. Enjoy—and don't forget to READ AND REVIEW!!_

**Chapter 15**

**Buckbeak and Dumbledore**

Sirius felt incredibly groggy. He was cold… and tired… and his brain seemed to be working much too slowly for his liking. He could feel something around his wrists and ankles—he was tied up. Moving his mouth, he could tell that he was also gagged.

Carefully, he opened his eyes. He was laying beneath a window, in a small, carpeted room. Everything was dark, except for the chunk of moonlight that fell over him. Through the darkness, Sirius could make out a desk with a very tall chair… and a door on the opposite side of the room.

Sirius tried to pull himself to his feet. He had to get out of here—wherever _here_ was. But Sirius heard voices from down the hall, and he strained to listen.

"Now, honestly, Headmaster! You can't believe a word he'll tell you! Black will say anything to save his skin, you know that." It was Snape's voice. Sirius could recognize that slithery tone anywhere.

"I just need to hear his side before it's too late." Dumbledore.

"And you don't want protection with you? He _is_ a murderer of fifteen—"

"No, Severus. I'm sure I can handle Black on my own." Sirius heard the scraping of a key in his door, and it opened to reveal Dumbledore's silhouette.

"Evening." Dumbledore said calmly, closing the door behind him, after waving his wand so the lights would rise. Sirius tried to answer him, to beg him for help, but the gag refused to let him.

Dumbledore walked over to him slowly, and untied each bind one at a time. Finally, when Sirius was free, he couldn't think of where to start… there was so much Dumbledore needed to know.

"I know you're innocent." Dumbledore said softly. "But I want to know what happened." It wasn't a question, but more like a suggestion.

So Sirius told him. Sirius explained urgently how Scabbers wasn't a rat—but Peter. He told him how he, too, was an Animagus. He told Dumbledore how Snape had barged in, and nearly ruined everything. He told him how Harry had stepped in and saved Peter's life.

Finally, when Sirius paused for air, Dumbledore interrupted. "They want to perform the Kiss, Sirius."

Sirius found it hard to breathe. They couldn't… Sirius was innocent.

"You know I didn't do it. I didn't kill Lily and James—you know it was Peter, why can't you just tell them?" Sirius pleaded. "Tell them, Dumbledore…"

"They wouldn't believe me, Sirius."

"Then why didn't you come to my trial? Why didn't you tell them then?" Sirius asked, anger starting to flare up again. "You helped change the Secret-Keepers… you could have testified!"

"I spoke to the Mistress as soon as I heard you were arrested, Sirius. I told them what happened. She wouldn't listen, and she refused me entry to your trial. They didn't want to believe me then, and they don't now." Dumbledore said evenly. There was a small sparkle in his eye that disgusted Sirius. How could he be happy at a time like this?

"So you're sentencing me to death? You… you're not going to do _anything?"_ Sirius asked him, thunderstruck. He couldn't believe this. He found himself stuttering, struggling to speak. "After everything—I was in the Order… you know I'm not a Death Eater, Dumbledore… how could you—how can you… You're not going to help me at all?"

Dumbledore stood up, and walked towards the door. "Just keep an eye on the window, and you'll be fine. That's a promise."

Sirius heard the door slam, but it didn't register that Dumbledore was gone. What kind of advice was that? Keep an eye on the window? _I'll keep an eye on your stupid window…_ Sirius jumped to his feet and grabbed the closest thing he could find and chucked it with all his might at the glass.

It ricocheted right off, and hit Sirius in the stomach, full force, leaving him winded and frustrated.

He couldn't believe this was happening. He was supposed to be with celebrating with Harry right now—he was supposed to be telling Harry everything about his house… and how things would be when he moved in this summer. But now, he was going to have his soul sucked right out of his mouth.

Sirius sunk down to the floor, and put his head on his knees. He waited for a few moments in silence, wondering what was going to become of him.

"Keep an eye on the window, Sirius…" Sirius muttered nastily to himself, standing up and looking outside.

He couldn't believe his eyes.

Harry and Hermione were riding Hagrid's escaped hippogriff right outside his window. He could feel his jaw dropping to the floor. He struggled to unlock the window, but it wouldn't budge.

"Stand back!" Hermione called to him. Sirius obliged. "_Alohomora!"_ The window sprung open.

"How—how—?"

"Get on—there's not much time." Harry said hurriedly. "You've got to get out of here—the dementors are coming—Macnair's gone to get them."

Without another word, Sirius swung his leg over the hippogriff, and slid onto its back behind Hermione.

"Okay, Buckbeak, up!" Harry urged. "Up to the tower—come on!"

With a huge sweep of its powerful wings, Buckbeak was high in the sky. Wind whipped around them, as Buckbeak beat its wings and navigated to the West Tower. He landed with a clatter, and Harry and Hermione scooted off right away.

"Sirius, you'd better go, quick." Harry told him, breathing heavily. "They'll reach Flitwick's office any moment, they'll find out you're gone."

Sirius couldn't believe this was happening. But it suddenly registered that only Harry and Hermione were standing here before him. "What happened to the other boy? Ron?"

"He's going to be okay. He's still out of it, but Madam Pomfrey says she'll be able to make him better." Harry explained as fast as he could. "Quick—go—"

This was unbelievably amazing.

"How can I ever thank—"

"GO!" Harry and Hermione screamed at him.

"We'll see each other again." Sirius decided, turning Buckbeak away from the castle. "You are—truly your father's son, Harry…" With a squeeze of his knees, Sirius felt Buckbeak take off into the air once more. Sirius turned to watch his godson as he sank into the distance, but both he and Hermione were gone.


	16. Back to Belle's

****

A/N: _Ohmigosh, it's the last chapter! I really hope that you all liked it, and thank you so much for making this a great experience. I hope to hear from you all again on my next story…_

Chapter 16

Back to Belle's

There was one place that Sirius wanted to go more than anywhere. Back to Belle's house. Not only was he sure that he could lay low there for as long as he would need, but he was so excited to see her again.

It took him about a day to fly there, and he arrived early evening, after flying high in the misty clouds all day. He made sure that there weren't any Muggles around on the streets, before he ducked Buckbeak down into Belle's backyard.

"What the—?" Belle came outside, staring at the hippogriff. She looked up at Sirius, running her fingers through her black hair, as Sirius slid off Buckbeak's back. "Sirius?"

She ran to him, and held him tightly. "Oh my God… You—how did you…?"

"Harry. Harry saved me." Sirius said, refusing to let go of Belle this time.

"But Sirius—I heard about the dementors. They were going to perform the Kiss… and you…" Belle shuddered at the thought, she stepped back to look at him. "It's impossible…"

"But I'm all right now… and Harry's going to live with me! Moving in this summer!" Sirius told her happily.

"Sirius, he can't do that—_you_ can't do that." Belle said softly. "You have to find a place to hide and…" She trailed off, looked around, as though realizing where she was for the first time. "Inside!" She cried, grabbing Sirius's hand and leading him into the house. Without another word, she zipped around, closing the curtains as she had on the first night he came.

"Come on, Belle. Don't worry so—"

"You realize what they'll do if they catch you, don't you?" She cut him off. "They won't put you in Azkaban again. They won't give you a trial. They'll suck out your soul, Sirius. You'll be worse than dead! And then what? I'll…" She drifted off, staring in his eyes. Sirius gulped. "Why did you come back here?" She asked finally.

"I wanted to see you again." Sirius said feebly.

"I…" Belle started. But just looking at Belle reminded him of how much he'd missed her the past thirteen years. He never wanted to have to leave her side again… she had protected him, and he knew her better than anyone else. With an inward lurch, Sirius suddenly realized that he wanted to marry her.

"Look, you can't stay here long." Belle said, moving into the kitchen to make Sirius something to eat. But Sirius had a feeling she was just trying to busy herself. "Harry's coming back in a few days and—"

"Can't I just stay and say hello?" Sirius asked, following her into the kitchen to have a seat at the table. He noticed that the pot of polyjuice potion was still out and ready for taking, if necessary.

"Absolutely not!" Belle snapped. "You can't… you just can't. It wouldn't be safe."

"I thought that you'd be happy to see me again." Sirius said sulkily.

Belle pulled her head out of the refrigerator to look at him. "I'm beyond happy to see you, Sirius."

Sirius took a deep breath. Now was his chance. It was the perfect time to ask her to be his wife—he couldn't ask for a better moment.

"Belle," Sirius stood up and walked to her. He took her hands in his own. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about you, and—" Sirius stopped. Someone was knocking on the door.

"Who could that be?" Belle muttered, dropping Sirius's hands and looking towards the door. She looked at Sirius expectantly. "Well? Hide!"

"Oh, right!" Sirius transformed and stayed in the kitchen, while Belle walked to the front door.

"Let's just hope they don't notice the hippogriff in the backyard, right?" Belle chuckled, and Sirius heard her open the door with a creak. The moment he gathered up enough courage to ask her, he gets interrupted. _Wouldn't you know it?_

"Elphias? What are you doing here? Harry's not coming home until—"

"I can't believe it! You think you know somebody…" Sirius could hear the man storming into Belle's living room, and flop down on her couch.

"What are you talking about, Elphias?" Belle said evenly, closing the front door, and following her guest.

"Sirius Black, who else!"

"What about Black, Elphias?" Belle asked, her voice suddenly getting softer. Sirius's ears perked up and he listened carefully.

"Tell me you heard what happened! I mean, honestly…" Sirius suddenly recognized the man's voice as Elphias Doge's. He was a member of the Order.

"I've heard bits and pieces…"

"Oh you won't believe it!" Doge gasped. "Black has been showing up around Hogwarts all year, looking for Harry Potter, right? Well, Sirius showed up at Hogwarts last night. He somehow lured Harry Potter and two of his friends into the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade, and starts to tell them some funny story about how Peter Pettigrew is still alive, and is actually Harry's friend's rat. I know, it's crazy, right? Anyway, so he performs the Confundus Charm so they all believe him, so that when Severus Snape comes in after the kids, he finds that they're actually _sticking up_ for Black. And you won't guess who else was in the Shack. Remus Lupin! You know that he was working as a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, up at the school? Well, now Snape seems to think that he was in league with Black all along. Dumbledore canceled that out right away, though…

"Anyway, Snape saves the kids, he does, but Sirius escapes, and the kids go running after him. When Snape gets to them, they're at the edge of Hogwarts's lake, and there are at least one hundred dementors that are gliding back to their posts. Harry, Black, and a girl from the school are all unconscious. Snape conjures stretchers for the girl and Harry and he binds and gags Black, naturally, and he brought them all up to the castle."

"You don't say…" Belle sounded shocked, but Sirius strongly doubted that she believed a word of this story.

"I know! And then, when Fudge got the dementors to come perform the Kiss, Black was gone. The window was wide open, and he was gone. How he climbed down seven stories, one will never know—but somehow he got away."

"That is amazing." Belle said, smoothly.

"Tell me about it." Doge said. "Fudge is going to try to get Snape an Order of Merlin for rescuing the kids. First Class, he hopes."

"Really? First Class? You don't say…"

"It's true." Doge sighed. "Well, I have to get to Hogwarts. I promised Dumbledore I'd meet with him before the weekend."

"Thanks for stopping by, Elphias. See you when Harry comes home." Belle said, and Sirius heard a loud pop. "Okay, Sirius, you can come out now." Belle sighed.

Sirius transformed again, and walked into the living room. Belle was seated on the couch with her chin in her hand, watching Sirius carefully.

"Snape is getting the Order of Merlin?" Sirius said roughly. "That's the most outrageous thing I've ever heard! He was unconscious the whole time! And let's be honest, it's not like Harry and his friends were in any danger!"

Belle started to laugh.

"It's not funny!"

"Come on, Sirius. It doesn't mean anything!" Belle said, fighting back her chuckles. Sirius sat next to her on the couch huffily. "And you have to admit that Snape's side of the story is funny. I mean, there are gaping holes—you can _tell_ that the man was unconscious!"

"Okay, so it's a pathetic story—but he doesn't deserve the Order of Merlin." Sirius moped.

"You're just disappointed." Belle said softly.

"Don't know what you're talking about…"

"You didn't catch Peter, Harry can't live with you, Snape's getting the Order of Merlin, you're a runaway convict and if they catch—"

"Okay, shut up." Sirius said with a small laugh that resembled a bark.

"But I'm right." Belle said, elbowing him lightly. Sirius put his arm around her, and she leaned against him. They sat there quietly for a moment.

"How do you do that?" Sirius asked finally.

"Do what?"

"Know exactly what's wrong."

"It's a gift that only—"

"I'm serious." He cut off her joke, and looked at her intensely.

Belle met his stare, and suddenly became uncomfortable. She got up from the couch, and started for the kitchen again. Sirius got up and followed her. There was something pumping in him, and he knew that he had to follow his instincts on this one. Everything else might have gone sour these past few days, but not this—he loved Belle, and he wasn't going to leave without even knowing if she felt the same.

"I guess I just know you so well…" Belle answered quickly, pulling open the fridge again. Sirius closed the refrigerator door shut.

"I'm not hungry." He said with a small smile.

"What if I am?" Belle retorted, pulling the door open again.

"You aren't." He closed it.

"Am too." She opened it.

"You are not. You're just looking for an escape, because I scare you." Sirius said triumphantly.

"You don't _scare_ me. That's ridiculous…"

"Every time I try to talk to you, you move away. You won't let—"

"Okay, shut up." Belle said angrily, pushing the refrigerator door shut with a click. She took a few steps away, and turned to face him. "I'm not _afraid_ of you. I just… I can't look at you, and not think about… your last visit." Belle sighed, and shook her head, ready to confess for the first time. "I love you, Sirius. I always have… Even when everyone thought you were a murderer, I still loved you—but not because I liked you. I thought you were the biggest jerk on the planet. I thought you killed my friends, I thought you lied to us—you made my life hell." Belle said, tears coming to her eyes. "But I still loved you. I had so many memories of the sweet things you said, and the funny things you did… nothing else mattered to me." She laughed softly at herself, wiping the tears off her face. "Well, this is embarrassing…"

"No," Sirius breathed. He walked over to her and kissed her. She loved him—she had always loved him. Somehow, Sirius had known it all along, and yet still failed to see it. He pulled away, and whispered, "Belle, will you marry me?"

"What? No, you're crazy…" Belle didn't move out of his arms, but was trying not to laugh. "You don't have to do anything…"

"I might not have a ring, but I'll get down on my knee…" He continued, doing just that.

"You're serious?" Belle breathed.

"I've never been more serious about anything in my life." Sirius said, looking up at her. She stared at him for a moment, letting this statement sink in.

"Get up…" She said quietly, trying to pull him to his feet.

"Not until you answer me." Sirius said persistently. He wouldn't move, so he waited in silence, while Belle just stared at him.

"Come on, get up…" She repeated.

Sirius considered.

"Fine—but only because my knee is weak, and your floor is uncomfortable." He rose, and took a deep breath. Belle had never kept him waiting this long before. "Will you?" He whispered, now starting to fear rejection. What would he do if she said no? But she couldn't say no—she just confessed her love to him, she wouldn't turn him down… would she?

"Please?" Sirius persisted. "You were the one person who visited me in Azkaban—you've brightened my life for years and I can't live without you. Please, Belle. Marry me."

He took her hands into his own again, and looked into her eyes, every particle of him praying she would accept.

"Okay." Belle said faintly, a small tear gliding down her cheek. "I'll marry you."

Sirius pulled her to him, and hugged her tightly. She was going to marry him—they were going to get married… Sirius couldn't ever remember being happier.

But then it hit him.

How could they get married? He was an escaped prisoner… the ministry wanted him dead.

Belle must have noticed how his face had fallen, for she said, "I don't care, Sirius… I love you; it doesn't matter…"

"How could it not matter?" Sirius said, rubbing his forehead. "Belle, if the ministry catches me, they'll perform the Kiss, and you'll… be left alone."

"You won't get caught, Sirius." Belle said resolutely. "And it's a chance I'm willing to take…"

"But what if someone found out that you were—my wife." God, he loved the way that sounded. "The ministry would be on your house so fast—"

"So we'll keep the engagement a secret." Belle said, grabbing his hands. "Then, when your name is cleared, we'll get married, with all our friends and family there…" She trailed off into smiles.

"It will be so perfect…" Sirius grinned. But he shook his head, clearing the perfect picture that had risen into his mind. "We can't."

"Yes we can, Sirius."

"You'll wait for me? What if it takes a year? Two?" Sirius asked hopefully.

"I'd wait forever—I already have." Belle said with a laugh.

Sirius paused. If she would wait for him, he had to be a free man before they got married. "I'm going to catch Peter." He said at last. "I'll turn him in, and come back for you."

"You'll catch him." Belle said compellingly. "But you have to write me… all the time." She added, touching his face with her hand.

"I don't have an owl." He replied disappointedly.

"I do—and I don't want him." She said, leaving him to walk into another room. When she emerged, a small fluff-ball was zipping around her head. "At first I thought he was cute, but now he's just annoying…"

"You're giving him to me?"

"I don't have any use for him, really." Belle shrugged. She watched the look on Sirius's face for a moment before adding, "Write to Harry. He'll want to know you're safe."

"Good idea." Sirius said, pulling up a chair at the kitchen table, before he realized something was missing.

"Parchment might help." Belle noted, pulling open a drawer and she handed him a quill and a piece of paper.

"Thanks."

Belle left him to his letter, which he wrote quickly. He explained everything about the Firebolt, and he told Harry to give Belle's owl to Ron. Sirius knew Ron would want an owl—Sirius could find other ways to write to Belle. Then, ripping off the bottom piece of the parchment, Sirius wrote Harry a note that would allow him into Hogsmeade. Sirius gave the letter to the buzzing owl, and chucked it out the window. It fell downward at first, and then picked up, looping around slightly, before flying away.

Sirius walked into the living room, where Belle was sitting and reading the _Prophet._

"I'd better get going—while it's dark out." He said quietly. Belle nodded, and led him outside. The summer night air was light and warm. Sirius couldn't have asked for better flying conditions.

"I'll miss you." Belle said, and Sirius hugged her again. He didn't want to leave her.

"I'll miss you more." Sirius teased.

"Stay out of trouble, all right?" Belle asked quietly. "_Please_ stay out of trouble…"

"I will." Sirius promised. He kissed her, and walked over to Buckbeak. "I'll write all the time, I swear. And I'll be back before you know it… and I'll send you a ring one of these days." He added, making Belle smile.

"You don't have to do that." She said, petting the hippogriff as Sirius mounted it.

"I want to." He said. Belle took his hand, and kissed him goodbye. "I love you." He said, as he nudged Buckbeak in the ribs. Belle stood back to watch her fiancé rise into the night sky.

"Don't let them find you." She called up to him.

"I won't." He chuckled. Sirius looked down at Belle, and she was smiling sadly up at him. He smiled back, blew her a kiss, and gave Buckbeak another more reluctant nudge. He rose higher with a whoosh of his wings. Again, they were flying high in the air, and where to, Sirius wasn't sure yet. But one thing was certain, no matter how far away he was; he was determined to be a good godfather to Harry, and an even better future-husband to Belle.

"All right, there, Buckbeak?" Sirius muttered to the hippogriff, stroking his neck. He was on the run again, but he wasn't worried. He was certain he could find someplace to hide out. He knew he had to write to Dumbledore, to thank him for whatever it was he'd done to save Sirius from the dementors.

Sirius smiled to himself. Peter may have escaped from Sirius, but Peter was alone in the world—Sirius had people who cared about him. And that was sweeter than any revenge.

****

The End

__

Or is it?!

We all know from reading the books that Sirius's part in the Harry Potter legacy did not end with flying off into the sunset on the back of a hippogriff.

So what REALLY happened? Good question. One that can only be solved with the upcoming sequel, called "The Prisoner of Azkaban 2: The Goblet of Fire".

What will happen to Sirius and Belle? Where did Sirius go over summer break? What does he know about the Dark Lord Voldemort that Harry doesn't?

All these questions and more can be answered by reading…

"THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN 2: THE GOBLET OF FIRE!"


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